Frank Lampard Considering Replacing Chelsea Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga
By Tom Gott
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is said to have informed his scouts to look for a new goalkeeper after growing concerned by Kepa Arrizabalaga's recent form.
The £72m signing has been incredibly inconsistent this season, making a number of high-profile errors which have cost his side several points.
Mistakes against the likes of Everton and Ajax have left some fans questioning whether Arrizabalaga has what it takes to remain Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper, and according to Bleacher Report, Lampard has his own concerns about the Spaniard.
The report claims to have been informed by 'sources close to the managerial staff' that Lampard has asked his scouts to identify potential replacements for Arrizabalaga by the time the 2020/21 season arrives.
Lampard is happy to take a back seat, given he is hardly an expert when it comes to goalkeepers, but he wants scouts to find him some suitable options as he has doubts over whether Arrizabalaga is good enough to be Chelsea's long-term goalkeeper.
While there is no denying that the 25-year-old has been a real weakness for Chelsea this season, to see him discarded just two years after becoming the club's record signing would come as a huge surprise.
Arrizabalaga has certainly enjoyed a number of impressive performances since moving to Stamford Bridge, and it seems more a case of the Spaniard being stuck in rut - similar to David de Gea in the early years of his Manchester United tenure.
Chelsea will likely give Arrizabalaga the chance to prove himself, although bringing in a capable deputy will likely be high on the agenda now that their transfer ban has been overturned.
Willy Caballero has looked a long way off being good enough to play regularly for a top four contender, and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the Blues will need to find someone who could genuinely compete with Arrizabalaga for minutes at the Bridge.