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Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino pulls star from starting XI ahead of Liverpool clash
Mauricio Pochettino has made a last-minute change to his line-up.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly made the last-minute decision to pull Kepa Arrizabalaga from the starting XI to face Liverpool this afternoon. The goalkeeper is set to join Real Madrid on loan and will not be risked for the start of the Premier League season.
Thibaut Courtois is set for a spell on the sidelines so the La Liga giants have been desperately hunting for a temporary goalkeeper. Real were in talks to sign Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer until they struck a deal with Chelsea for Arrizabalaga.
The Telegraph report that Pochettino was set to hand the Spaniard a start for the Premier League opener. But new signing Robert Sanchez will instead take up the position between the sticks.
Arrizabalaga is the world's most expensive goalkeeper, costing the Blues £71.6million in August 2018, which was ironically also to replace Courtois who he is deputising for at the Bernabeu. Chelsea will need to bring in another goalkeeper to play back-up to Sanchez.
Earlier this week Pochettino explained his thoughts on his goalkeeping situation. He said: “It’s going to be very good competition. We needed to sign another [goalkeeper]. The club followed him for a long time and it was a good opportunity for the club to sign him, and a good challenge for Kepa.
“Kepa is, [after] three, four weeks working with us, a little bit ahead of him. Like in all different players, it is a challenge for them to keep their place if they play on Sunday.
“For the players not going to play they need to fight to catch the teammates playing in their place. That is competition and for sure will improve both Chelsea and the two very good keepers who fight for the position.”
Chelsea are hoping to get a deal for Brighton's Moises Caicedo over the line before they kick-off against Liverpool. But Pochettino wouldn't be drawn on the saga ahead of the match, after pipping the Merseysiders to the transfer.
"I never talk about players that don't belong to us. I am so respectful," Pochettino explained. "What I can tell you is that we are working really hard to add players to the squad. If we have some update for you, the club will do it. At the moment, I don't want to talk about players that don't belong to us.
"Like any club, we are working really hard to try to add more quality. I am so happy the way we are doing things."