Arsenal have seen one of their transfer targets become a free agent
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal head into the new season hoping that this will be the year they finally end a 20-year wait to win the Premier League after taking the title race to the final weekend of the season last time out.
The signing of Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori in a £42million deal from Bologna should strengthen their backline, while Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino remains a target.
Ideally, the club would also add a top-tier striker to their ranks before the window shuts at the end of the month, while there is still work to do in the goalkeeper position.
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The Gunners’ first move this summer was to complete a permanent move for David Raya following a successful loan stint from Brentford last season. Since then, third-choice stopper Karl Hein has also departed, joining Real Valladolid on loan for the season.
Aaron Ramsdale has also been the subject of transfer speculation, with the former Sheffield United man wanting to play first-team football after Raya’s arrival relegated him to bench-warming duties for most of last season.
A new goalkeeper is therefore on the club’s shopping list which is why the news that Juventus confirmed the release of former Gunners ‘keeper Wojciech Szczesny will be of interest to them.
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Wojciech Szczęsny is now a free agent (Image credit: Getty)
Szczesny was linked with a return to the Emirates earlier this summer, with the fact that he would count as a homegrown player due to his previous time at the club’s Hale End academy, another benefit to bringing the 34-year-old back to north London.
Szczesny’s exit from Juventus was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, ending a seven-year stay in Turin that saw the Polish international make more than 250 appearances for the club and win eight trophies with the club.
Other goalkeepers to be linked with Arsenal as Raya’s back-up this summer include Wolves’ Dan Bentley and Espanyol’s Joan Garcia, but after a move for Bentley fell through, the club now have the green light to pursue free agent Szczesny.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
