Arsenal face Liverpool today in what is a massive game for Wenger’s side as they try to close the gap on Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal will therefore be coming up against the goalkeeper that they tried to sign a couple of transfer windows ago, Pepe Reina.
However, that was before Wojciech Szczesny appeared as a solid figure between the white sticks at the Emirates. He has, Wenger believes, turned into a potential number 1 goalkeeper, and, now recovered from the dislocated finger he suffered against Barcelona in the Champions League, he will be out to prove it against Liverpool:
“Szczesny he has the calibre to be a goalkeeper at Arsenal Football Club and we have Fabianski as well.”
“Szczesny has the potential [to be No 1]. It will be a fight because Fabianski will be back. We still have Almunia too, he has one year to go [on his contract].
“We can always in mid-season call Jens Lehmann back!”
From that then, we can take that Wenger will not be delving into the transfer window to purchase a new goalkeeper, as he has all he needs already at the club. From Szczesny’s performances this season, that is understandable. Aside from the defensive mishap in the Carling Cup final, he has been blunder free – something his team mates and rivals, Fabianski and Almunia, cannot boast.
Wenger’s comments also seems to spell an end to Manuel Almunia’s Arsenal career. No mention of the Spanish goalkeeper and Arsenal’s fans huge general mistrust in him are not promising signs, and with the two Polish youngsters and a possible Lehmann return, he won’t be getting many games next season anyway.
But according to some reports, Arsenal will try to improve their team further up the pitch with the signing of Yannick Djalo. The 24 year-old Portuguese forward currently plays for Sporting Lisbon and has attracted attention from various clubs including Everton, but Arsenal are apparently favourites to sign Djalo who can operate both as a winger and a striker.
Djalo possesses blistering pace and has a strong physical presence, making over 80 appearances for Sporting, scoring 20 goals. Sporting will therefore be expecting to make £8 million for the player who has appeared once for Portugal so far.
Tell me what you think!
Submitted by DBSFootball
