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According to a report, Fulham have made a breakthrough in their pursuit of Bernd Leno and are now set to sign the Arsenal goalkeeper.
THE LOWDOWN: DROPPED DOWN THE PECKING ORDER
Many raised eyebrows when Arsenal completed the signing of Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United last summer. Fast forward to the present and it now seems like a bargain deal, despite the Gunners paying a total of £30m to a relegated Bournemouth side.
In no time at all, Ramsdale displaced Bernd Leno as the club’s number one and became a favourite in the dressing room and among the fans as well. His superior ball-distribution skills as well as his vocal presence made sure he was in Arteta’s good books as the club’s designated goalkeeper.
It worked out for Arsenal and Ramsdale but it was a different story for Leno, who found himself struggling for game time and limited to just four Premier League appearances last term.
Seeking regular minutes ahead of the World Cup in November, the German was keen to find a new club where he would be guaranteed game time and it appears he might have gotten his wish
THE LATEST: ARSENAL AND FULHAM REACH AGREEMENT
As per Sky Sports, Arsenal and Fulham have come to an agreement for Bernd Leno, with a deal set to cost the newly promoted side around £8m.
Leno has been the club’s goalkeeping target all summer but negotiations had initially stalled, with Arsenal demanding £11m at the time.
Arsenal have now lowered their demands and are ready to accept Fulham’s cut-price for the player. Having already agreed personal terms with the fellow Londoners, only few details need to be ironed out before a medical and an official announcement will follow suit.
THE VERDICT: GOOD MOVE FOR ALL PARTIES
From a financial standpoint, it makes sense to sell Leno now, given that he has one year left on his current contract. Though Arsenal were forced to accept a lower figure, it is better than letting him leave on a free-transfer.
To go with, Leno has gone about his business quietly since he joined the club and never really made a fuss about the situation, even after losing his spot to Ramsdale. A quick mention of former goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez tells a different story.
It is easy to see that Arsenal respected Leno’s decision to leave to a fellow club in London, which would also mean he would remain in the same city and get along with his new side in no time.
Matt Turner was one of the additions this summer and will now be the club’s backup to Ramsdale for the coming season. Mikel Arteta spoke about reducing the Arsenal squad and selling Leno is sad to see but a necessary decision for squad balance and to keep everyone happy in the grand scheme of things.
