Arsenal step-up search for goalkeeper
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is hoping to sign a proven shot stopper as competition for Wojciech Szczesny.
The Gunners’ goalkeeping responsibilities have been shared between Vito Mannone, Damian Martinez and Polish international Szczesny so far this season.
Wenger is understood to have concerns over the performances of all three, and is hopeful that the club can secure the signing of a proven shot stopper in January or at the end of the season.
Highly-rated Hugo Lloris and Julio Cesar were both targeted by Wenger in the summer before they were snapped up by London rivals Tottenham and QPR, while Liverpool’s Pepe Reina has been linked for several months with Wenger a long-term admirer of the Spaniard.
One rumoured target who won’t be making his way to Emirates Stadium next month is Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
The Belgian has made a succession of impressive performances for Martin O’Neill’s side this season, but the Black Cats manager is adamant that he won’t be leaving anytime soon.
“He’s been outstanding for us so far, so he’s definitely not someone we would want to see leave.
“I haven’t heard of that (the Arsenal link), but I’m not in any position to let our good players go in January”, said O’Neill.
22-year-old Szczesny has been involved in extra training sessions with goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton in a bid to cut out his inconsistencies which include erratic distribution and positioning.
Gunners’ boss Wenger admitted last week that he wants to build a British core in his Arsenal squad and Birmingham’s young English ‘keeper Jack Butland is a player who has been extensively scouted by chief scout Steve Rowley this season.
Goalkeeper names linked with Arsenal this season: Pepe Reina, Asmir Begovic, Kenneth Vermeer, Jack Butland, Michel Vorm.
Which goalkeeper, if any, would you bring to the club to keep Szczesny ‘on his toes’? Leave your view in the comments section below.
Begovic or Vorm would be my choice they have been extremely consistent in goal for their respective teams.
I know I’m playing Football Manager here a bit but I’d love to see Alex Smithies snapped up
I think Mignolet’s Belgian, isn’t he?
Craig Gordon is available on a free, but is injured
Szczesny one of the best keeper in bpl…i feel like he is david seaman part 2..i belive in szczesny…so arsenal no need to buy new goalkeeper…
Talk about reflexes, that’s Butland. What he needs is a good defence line.
Vorm over Reina any day of the week for me.
Szczesny is a top keeper. Very few are perfect at 22. In my lifetime, I’ve only seen Neuer, Casilas, Buffon & Hart as finished products at 22. Woj will get better & I’m pretty sure he’ll end up being no.1 at Arsenal till the end of his career. If I was to buy a keeper, it’d be Butland but I wouldn’t till the end of the season. Birmingham won’t be promoted & are financially stricken so will take the money. Also Fabianski’s contract doesn’t end till June so we’d have quite a few keepers on the books which doesn’t bode well given our already ridiculous wage bill. Begovic is in the form of his life & is settled. Makes no sense for him to come. Vorm we could maybe get but again, Swansea are doing very well.
A season too late Arsene! Lloris would have been SWEET. Always the case with ARSENE
For what its worth, Jack Butland Is The England National Team Keeper Of The Future In FIFA 13. AnD He Ended Up On Bayern Munich So Better To Keep Him In England.
Szczesny is very good for his age but he needs to play regularly to become the finished article.
AW will not buy another good youngster who could cause problems if he doesn’t play. He will be looking for an older GK with only a few years left so WS gets some competition and learns from an experienced GK but isn’t blocked from being No1 ‘long term’.
I don’t know how confident AW is with Vito but I think he expects Martinez to come good in a few years, hopefully as older GK leaves/retires.
None.
Szczesny has a good attitude.
Brides we need players in other positions e.g. a striker.