Kepa or Sanchez? Mauricio Pochettino confirms who will be Chelsea's No.1 goalkeeper as he scuppers Bayern Munich transfer plan

• Chelsea have two top-quality keepers
• Sanchez fighting with Kepa for No. 1 spot
• Pochettino names his preferred choice

WHAT HAPPENED? The Blues signed Sanchez from Brighton for £25m ($31.68) in a bid to offer competition to Arrizabalaga for the No. 1 spot at Stamford Bridge after seeing Edouard Mendy depart this summer. The transfer sparked debate as to who would wear the gloves between the sticks as the former Athletic Bilbao keeper has had some nervy moments since he joined in 2019 for a record £71 million ($91m) transfer.

WHAT THEY SAID: However, Pochettino has no doubts over his No. 1 choice as he backed Arrizabalaga to be the preferred custodian.

"Sanchez and Kepa know they are going to fight for the No. 1 position. At the moment, Kepa is a little bit ahead. With time, we will see if Robert is there and can challenge Kepa," he told reporters.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: With this announcement, Pochettino has also poured cold water on Bayern Munich's plans to sign Arrizabalaga as the German giants seek cover for Manuel Neuer. It was reported that the Bundesliga champions made an initial offer for the shot-stopper which involved a season-long loan deal, with a subsequent purchase option. However, with Pochettino confirming his plans for the Spaniard, it is unlikely that he will make a switch to Germany in the near future.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Kepa would hope to keep a clean sheet when Chelsea take on Liverpool in their Premier League opener on Saturday.