Arsenal backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has informed the club that he wants to depart in search of regular first-team football.
The Spanish shot-stopper only joined the Gunners from Chelsea last summer, making his stay at the Emirates a brief one.
A transfer now looks increasingly likely for the 31-year-old, who has struggled to break past David Raya in the goalkeeper pecking order.
Kepa managed just 12 appearances for Arsenal last season, failing to make a convincing case for more regular involvement under Mikel Arteta.
His most high-profile outing came in the Carabao Cup final defeat against Manchester City, where he was notably poor by most assessments.
With Raya firmly established as Arsenal’s undisputed number one following some world-class performances in their title victory, Kepa’s path to the starting spot was always going to be narrow.
Having failed to displace Raya, Kepa has now reportedly decided to move on, with Arsenal already looking at possible replacements according to reports.
Former Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier is one of the main names being linked as a potential option to come in as backup.
Meslier could represent a more reliable option between the sticks, with Kepa having been dogged by high-profile individual errors throughout much of his time at Chelsea.
Arsenal will still want a dependable second-choice goalkeeper on their books, particularly to cover for any potential injuries or suspensions to Raya during a long season.
Kepa was arguably a risky signing from the moment he arrived, given his inconsistent record, and his departure would give Arteta a chance to bring in a more solid understudy.
It remains to be seen where Kepa ends up next, but his time at Arsenal appears to be drawing to a close sooner than many anticipated.
