Kepa Arrizabalaga became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper on Wednesday after completing a £71.6m move from Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea, with the young Spain international signing a seven-year contract to replace Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge.

Kepa will be joined by the Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic after he was secured on loan from Real Madrid. The fee for Kepa eclipses the previous record for a goalkeeper of £66.9m, paid by Liverpool to Roma for Brazil’s No 1, Alisson, last month and the Spaniard could make his debut in Saturday’s opening Premier League fixture at Huddersfield. Real, who will unveil Courtois on Thursday afternoon, had been close to securing the one-time Spain international for £17.9m seven months ago.

Kepa set to take flight as one of the world’s best young goalkeepersexcited about his arrival,” said the Chelsea director, Marina Granovskaia. “He has already demonstrated fantastic quality and consistency and will be a big part of any success Chelsea have in the coming years. His long-term contract reflects the belief we have in him and we look ahead to the coming seasons with an enormous sense of optimism.”

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Kovacic, who made 10 starts in La Liga last term, has joined for the season much to the dismay of the new Real head coach, Julen Lopetegui, as part of the deal that took Courtois to the Bernabéu. The Belgian goalkeeper, absent without leave all week, will be presented as a Madrid player, costing £35m, on Thursday after