Kepa Arrizabalaga will start for Chelsea against West Brom as the game is too soon for new signing Edouard Mendy to play, revealed Frank Lampard.
The Blues splashed out £22million on Mendy from Rennes to challenge their No 1, who has endured a horrendous time of late.
And Lampard, speaking at a press conference on Friday, confirmed that the under-fire Arrizabalaga is set to be given the nod at the Hawthorns.
Mendy officially joined the club on Thursday and the turnaround is too short for him to play in the 5:30pm Premier League clash on Saturday, according to his manager.
He said: ‘To start tomorrow is not going to happen. He’s had a long week where he’s not really trained.
‘He flew in yesterday, it just feels too tight a turnaround to put him in contention to start the game.’
Kepa is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, costing the Blues £72m from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.
But Chelsea are now ready to send him out on loan having brought in Mendy to compete with Willy Caballero for the starting spot in Lampard’s side.
The manager admitted that he is yet to speak to either Arrizabalaga or Caballero since the deal for Mendy was completed but said he would have conversations with the pair in the next 24 hours.
Lampard also offered an update on Hakin Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, who are both nursing injuries.
Both are back training with the first team but the Baggies clash will come too soon. They are however back in contention to play in the next couple of weeks.
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