Chelsea pay staggering £72m release clause for Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of world-record move

The Chelsea F.C have paid a staggering £72m release clause for Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga ahead of his world-record move to the Premiership club.

According to reports, the Blues agreed to make the Athletic Bilbao No 1 the most expensive goalkeeper in history on Tuesday as they look to replace Real Madrid-bound Thibaut Courtois.

Lawyers representing Kepa and Chelsea deposited the record fee at 9.22am on Wednesday morning.

Sports Mail reports that Lawyers Enric Ripoll Gonzalez and Paolo Torchetti from De Ruiz-Huerta and Crespo lawyers in Valencia, represented the Premier League side, while the payment was made through the player's lawyers and Margarita Garay, general director of Bahia Internacional. She was accompanied by lawyers Rodrigo Garcia and Alvaro Reig de Laffer.