Vito Mannone

[asajoseph]

Props to timmyg for pointing this out last week - Skysports have now picked up on it.

A young, 17 year old Italian goalkeeper Vito Mannone apparently looks set to join Arsenal.

<a class="postlink" href="http://skysports.planetfootball.com/Article.asp?id=289255" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://skysports.planetfootball.com/Art ... ?id=289255</a>

It's hard to figure this one out though - at his age, Lehmann will be long gone before Mannone would be ready for the first team. Surely Wenger isn't planning for 4 years of Almunia??? Or will there be another 'stop gap' keeper coming in in a few years?

 

[Inter Minan]

If he's good enough, surely he could be ready at 18/19?

 

[asajoseph]

How many goalkeepers do you know that are ready for premiership and CL football at 18-19?

I've not seen the kid, and know nothing about him though, I have to admit.

 

[Jinn]

Hopefully he'll develop into a quality keeper.

 

[invisibleman18]

Casillas was ready at that age. so who knows?

 

[Soler]

Cerci is the only one I know of who's actually played a serious amount of league football at that age in Italy, other than Casillas. Mannone seems like a young keeper is being bought to replace Taylor/Stack. Throwing a youngster in an at the deep end doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

 

[arsenal4life]

we were linked to another GK from parma
i don't remember his name

 

[lee1001]

Cerci is the only one I know of who's actually played a serious amount of league football at that age in Italy, other than Casillas. Mannone seems like a young keeper is being bought to replace Taylor/Stack. Throwing a youngster in an at the deep end doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

Taylor...gone
Stack...going

Lehmann...1 year left?
Almunia...just plain crap!!

In the next 24 months we need a quality young keeper and a first team keeper.

Mannone seems to be the young keeper.
Who know's who the keeper for the first team will be.

 

[asajoseph]

Frey?

 

[Mark]

Couldn't we just sign Isaakson instead? This guy won't be good for years, if ever.

 

[footballus_maximus]

I remember Buffon started playing in his teens in Seria A

 

[arsenal4life]

hail the GOD FATHER :mrgreen:

 

[Jinn]

I guess signing this guy doesn't rule out a move for another established keeper.

 

[asajoseph]

Hmm... Like Ricardo? If Wenger was planning on having Ricardo for a few years (he's the right age), then Mannone would be 'ready' round about the time Ricardo would be looking to retire.

 

[Ratinho]

The time for Ricard to retire was after the Euro Champs ffs!!

But it's good to see we're still picking up the cream of the youth scene. This guy is pretty well regarded around.

Still no idea who'll replace Lehmann, but I wouldn't get to excited or ahead of yourselves guys. This guy is a kid, bought to see if we can develop him for the future. Wenger will not even be considering replacing Lehmann with him.

 

[timmyg]

I agree with Ratinho there. Mannone is being picked up as a youngster, not a first team challenger.

He'll be being brought in to replace Taylor/Stack while working on his game. I'd like to see an established keeper come in to replace Lehman, but I don't think it's going to happen....

 

[arsenal4life]

and what about Andrea Consigili , we have linked to him in december and who is better

 

[demoman50]

Frey, signed a loan deal with Fiorentina.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with Ratinho there. Mannone is being picked up as a youngster, not a first team challenger.

He'll be being brought in to replace Taylor/Stack while working on his game. I'd like to see an established keeper come in to replace Lehman, but I don't think it's going to happen....

Totally agree with you ...

 

[humble_genius]

maybe this guy is a new cesc cept for keeping

but surely he is taking stack/taylors place, heres hope we get frey or isaakson, to be honest only seen highlights and 2 games but from what i saw the man is sensational!

p.s. why doesnt wenger make a move for kirkland as a backup keeper, the guy was so good before liverpool, surely he would go pretty cheap and make a pretty good backup for arse, at least compared to alumnia