Chelsea reach agreement to sign Courtois replacement?

Chelsea are reportedly understood to have reached an agreement to sign goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao this summer. 

Since the close of the World Cup, Thibaut Courtois has been regularly linked with a move to Real Madrid and it now appears that his wish could be granted with a replacement set to be announced.

According to The Guardian, the Blues have agreed to trigger the £71.6m release clause written into the contract of Arrizabalaga and this would make him the world's expensive goalkeeper - surpassing the £67m sum Liverpool paid for Alisson last month.

Earlier last week, Courtois' agent confirmed that the Belgian is desperate for a return to Madrid to stay closer to his children and the goalkeeper is said to have since expressed his desire to manager Maurizio Sarri.

As such, Courtois has been absent from Blues' training for the past two days and a deal worth £32m should be finalised with Real Madrid, once Arrizabalaga puts pen-to-paper on the Chelsea contract.