Kepa Arrizabalaga pays for his release clause for potential move to Chelsea

Athletic Bilbao have confirmed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s release clause has been activated.

The spanish La Liga club announced that Arrizabalaga has bought himself out of his contract.

“The player Kepa Arrizabalaga has met the requirements for the valid unilateral termination of the contract that linked him to Athletic Club,” the club announced.

“The aforementioned certification indicates that the player has expressed his desire to terminate and unilaterally resolve the relationship that had joined him with the club since the 2004-05 season and that the amount of the compensation established in the contract has been deposited.

The player’s representatives and lawyers travelled to La Liga headquarters in Valencia to pay the fee, with Kepa now due to travel to Chelsea to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms.

This is the done thing at Athletic Bilbao; the same happened with Ander Herrera, Javi Martinez and Aymeric Laporte.

The 23-year-old Spaniard deal will break the club’s previous transfer record, set last season when the Blues signed Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid in an initial £58m ($75m) deal, potentially rising to £70m ($90m).

It will also make Kepa the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, after Alisson joined Liverpool in a £65m (€73m/$85m) move .

He is expected to replace Thibaut Courtois in Chelsea as Courtois is heavily linked with Real Madrid.

Courtois is expected to arrive in Madrid on Thursday for his medicals.