Kepa Arrizabalaga has strongly criticized Chelsea’s project under Todd Boehly’s ownership.
Chelsea has had a challenging start to the 2023/24 campaign under manager Mauricio Pochettino, suffering defeats to West Ham and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
These results have left them in 12th place in the league table, the same position they finished in last season, raising questions about the club’s transfer strategy.
The club has spent £400 million this summer, reaching a total of £1 billion in spending since the arrival of the Boehly consortium, but they have yet to see significant results from these investments.
Kepa, who joined Real Madrid on loan this summer, has since offered his thoughts on the project at Stamford Bridge, confirming he plans to stay at the Bernabeu.
“My intention is to stay [with Real Madrid] for more than a year,” the goalkeeper told Spanish outlet COPE (quotes viaEvening Standard).
“It only took a couple of calls because when Real Madrid call, it is different. I felt the Chelsea project was not the right one.”
When quizzed by Marca if he rejected German giants Bayern Munich, who were seeking cover for the injured Manuel Neuer, Kepa took the opportunity to aim another dig at his current employers, Chelsea.
“Real Madrid is Real Madrid,” he added. “When Real Madrid call you, it’s easy. I’ve faced Real three times with Chelsea.
“When I arrived at Bernabeu I always turned left, to the visiting dressing room, but I wanted to turn right, to local dressing room!”
It is not the first time Kepa has spoken out about Boehly, revealing that the 49-year-old comes into the dressing room after every game.
“Todd comes to the dressing room every game,” he told reporters in the lead-up to Chelsea’s quarter-final second round Champions League tie against Real Madrid in April. “He had different chats with us.
“I’m not going to say what he said. It’s normal when he comes to the changing room.”
Pochettino has signed Robert Sanchez from Brighton as the Spaniard’s replacement, with the 25-year-old keeping just one clean sheet so far which came in a 3-0 win over Luton Town.