Report Claims Chelsea Failed With €100m Bid for World-Class Goalkeeper Before Striking Kepa Deal

Chelsea made history when they smashed the world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on deadline day, but they would have set the bar even higher had Jan Oblak not rejected their advances earlier in the window.

Maurizio Sarri's new side were forced to move quickly to bring in a new world class shot stopper with only hours left in the window after Thibaut Courtois' much maligned departure to Real Madrid, and according to the Times, Atletico Madrid keeper Oblak was their first choice.

But after Chelsea met the Slovenian's contracted €100m release clause, Oblak decided to reject the London club's last minute advances, in favour of Champions League football with Atletico - and was promptly rewarded with vastly improved terms at his current club. 

Chelsea then swiftly turned their attentions to another goalkeeper in Spain, Athletic Bilbao's Kepa Arrizabalaga, activating his release clause of €80m - around £71m - to bring him to London.

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In doing so, they surpassed the £65m transfer record for a goalkeeper set by Liverpool's deal for Alisson - who they had reportedly looked at earlier in the window as a potential alternative to Courtois -  less than three weeks earlier.

Atletico have done well to keep their top talent in spite of high profile interest this summer. Oblak follows Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann, who reportedly knocked back Manchester United and Barcelona respectively, in signing a new contract with the Madrid side.

Kepa, meanwhile, made his Chelsea debut against Huddersfield on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet as Sarri's side kicked things off with a 3-0 win.