How Thomas Tuchel fixed Chelsea's biggest transfer concern after cavalier Frank Lampard reign

January wasn't an easy month for Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel's side faced Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, while also taking on Spurs over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-final.

And for four of those matches, they were without their number one goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy. The Senegal international flew out to the Africa Cup of Nations after the pulsating 2-2 draw against Liverpool on January 2 and there was a void to fill. So in stepped the world's most expensive goalkeeper.

That is a tag that has, at times, weighed heavily on the shoulders of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who signed with Chelsea in the summer of 2018 for a record £71.6 million. His first season at Stamford Bridge was solid; there were few errors but one rather high-profile incident in the Carabao Cup final when he substituted.

The Spaniard's second campaign with the Blues was, however, something of a disaster. Kepa's form disintegrated and by the end of the season, he had been replaced in the starting XI by veteran stopper Willy Caballero.

Mendy then arrived in the early weeks of 2021/22. From that point on, the 29-year-old has been Chelsea's first-choice between the posts with Kepa in the role as deputy.

First-team opportunities have been limited as a result; Kepa has featured in just 21 matches since the signing of Mendy from Rennes. However, his time out of the spotlight has proved beneficial.

Kepa has worked on his game and strived to improve weaknesses. Tuchel has always taken the chance to praise the Spain international publicly too in addition to handing him minutes where possible.

The rebuilding of Kepa's confidence has been a slow process and it's one that former Blues goalkeeper Rob Green – who will appear in BT