Arsenal goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is poised for a poignant return to former club Athletic Club’s San Mames stadium after earning a call-up from the Basque Country representative team. The shot-stopper has been named in the Euskal Selekzioa squad to take on South American visitors Venezuela during next weekend’s international friendly in Bilbao.
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Osasuna manager Jagoba Arrasate has included the Ondarroa native as one of the marquee names in his 22-man selection for the clash on Saturday, November 14. Currently serving as understudy to David Raya at Arsenal following previous loan stints with Real Madrid and Bournemouth, Arrizabalaga originally departed Bilbao for Chelsea in 2018. That €80 million move to Stamford Bridge remains the world-record transfer fee ever paid for a goalkeeper.
Joining Arrizabalaga in the squad as players plying their trade outside Spain are Udinese forward Unai Gomez and Bolton Wanderers attacker Gaizka Larrazabal, while Osasuna stopper Aitor Fernandez provides competition between the posts. Arrasate has once again leaned heavily on a familiar domestic core drawn from Athletic Club, Real Sociedad, Osasuna and Deportivo Alaves.
Source: Yahoo Sports
