First words: Ambitious Kepa Arrizabalaga wants to become a Chelsea club legend

We’re all ready to very much adore young Kepa Arrizabalaga after the sour note on which our relationship with Thibaut Courtois has ended, and fortunately the young goal-kepa is already making it very easy for us.

Having arrived on a world record €80m transfer from Athletic Bilbao, the 23-year-old sat down for the traditional first interview with Chelsea TV’s Lee Parker, and as one would expect from the self-described “ambitious, hard-working, serious” young man, he’s saying all the right things.

“I want to become a club legend in the future.”

-Kepa Arrizabalaga; source: Chelsea TV

Perfecto.

“I would like to be remembered at this club [...] as a goalkeeper that has helped the club win a lot of titles [and also] on a personal level [...] as someone who got on with everyone, a likeable person who people enjoyed having around.”

You’re well on your way, kid.

Arrizabalaga (pronounced: “Aretha Balaga”) indeed comes across as a serious young man in his first interview (for now only available on the official Chelsea app, The 5th Stand, unfortunately) calling his move an “important decision” both for his professional and personal life.

He of course says all the right things about the club (big club, trophies, etc), the league (Best League in the World™, innit), and his teammates (knows all the big names, but especially the Spain contingent — Azpi, Morata, and Pedro all gave him “excellent references” about the club, he reveals).

A slightly less standard answer is provided when he’s asked about who his goalkeeping role model was growing up. While he mentions Spain legend Iker Casillas and local hero David Aranzubia, he makes it clear the he wants to be his own man.

“This is a question I get asked very often. I wouldn’t say there was one goalkeeper I idolized. I’ve been a goalkeeper since I started playing football and I have always had an interest in goalkeepers. I would say, growing up, I was following them all. I was trying to learn different things from each of them. I would put special attention to the things I liked about each of them, and would try to imitate them.”

-Kepa Arrizabalaga; source: Chelsea TV

As Captain Planet used to say, “by your powers combined, even you, “Heart”, I shall be the best goalkeeper that’s ever lived”.

Arrizashabalamadingdong is of course looking forward to working with Sarri (big fan of the playing style), to winning things, and being the best he can be. When asked to describe himself, he reluctantly says that his main asset is calmness, which he tries to project to his defense and the rest of the team, and it just further underlines the overall confidence and sure-footedness he already exudes under the studio’s bright lights.

Let’s get to work!

But yeah, I think we’re just gonna have to call you Dave II. Or Steve.