Real ‘consider £50m swoop for Chelsea No1 Kepa’ after giving up on De Gea

REAL MADRID have turned their attention to signing Kepa Arrizabalaga after giving up on signing David de Gea.

The 24-year-old only joined Chelsea last summer but has endured a turbulent first season at Stamford Bridge.

Roman Abramovich's club paid a world record £71.6million to sign the Spaniard from Athletic Bilbao, as Thibaut Courtois moved to the Bernabeu.

But with the Belgian having failed to settle and firmly ostracised since the return of Zinedine Zidane as coach, Los Blancos look set to freshen up the position, according to .

Courtois has not played in any of Real's four matches since Zidane succeeded Santiago Solari, missing the last three due to an undisclosed injury.

Long-term target De Gea, the Manchester United stopper, will not be considered to fill his boots however given his £400,000-a-week wages and valuation which sits at in excess of £100m.

The Spain No.1 is approaching the final year of his Old Trafford contract, and while Paris Saint-Germain have been linked a return to the Spanish capital is not in the offing.

Any deal for De Gea would also significantly eat into the resources set aside forZidane to improve his squad, with Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Eden Hazard all purported to be on his wish list.

Jack Butland of Stoke City and Burnley's Nick Pope, the England international duo, are both being lined up as possible replacements

The Sun

Kepa remains well-regarded in his homeland despite what has been an uncertain first campaign in West London.

Despite keeping 20 clean sheets in all competitions, he has failed to hit the heights expected of him when he eclipsed the £66.9m Liverpool paid for Alisson during the off-season.

The major blot on his copybook came in February's Carabao Cup final, when he refused to be substituted at the end of extra-time against Manchester City.

Maurizio Sarri wanted to bring on Willy Cabellero for the penalty shoot-out, which Pep Guardiola's side went on to win, but he ignored his manager's order.

The episode was followed by reports that owner Abramovich was angry with Kepa's actions and had begun the search for his replacement.

Sarri himself was left incandescent with rage and dropped Kepa for the Premier League visit of Tottenham three days later.

TRANSFER BAN LOOMS

That game is the only minutes Kepa has missed in the Premier League this season.

Though Chelsea could make a major loss 12 months on from acquiring the 'keeper - close to £21.6m if reports are to be believed - alternative targets are already on their radar.

Jack Butland of Stoke City and Burnley's Nick Pope, the England international duo, are both being lined up as possible replacements.

Both players would also assist Chelsea is meeting the Premier League and Uefa's homegrown player quotas, with the likes of Gary Cahill and Danny Drinkwater set to depart this summer.

Either deal, indeed perhaps that of Kepa also, is dependent on the club's successful appeal against their transfer ban.

Fifa have blocked the club from acquiring players for the next two windows due to breaching rules regarding signing young players.

Their plea will be heard next week and if turned down the Court of Arbitration for Sport could be enlisted to settle the matter.

Chelsea had hoped the appeal process would delay the ban but Fifa have rejected such a ploy.