Arsenal
Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Linked With Belgian Stopper
Arsenal are lining-up a January move for Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as boss Arsene Wenger looks to sign a reliable keeper to push Wojciech Szczesny.
Despite the transfer window being closed, there is always transfer gossip doing the rounds in the papers and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest news during the coming months. Today, Arsenal are linked with Simon Mignolet.
Photo: Telegraph
Arsenal are lining-up a January move for Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, according to the Metro.
The report claims that while Gunners boss Arsene Wenger remains fully-behind No.1 Wojciech Szczesny, he has lost confidence in Lukas Fabianski and Vito Mannone and is planning to off-load the pair and bring in a new goalkeeper to push Szczesny for the first-team jersey.
The Metro believe that Wenger’s preferred option is Liverpool’s Pepe Reina but with that deal likely to prove too expensive, and chief scout Steve Rowley said to have warned against signing Wigan’s Ali Al-Habsi and Stoke’s Asmir Begovic, the boss is ready to turn to Belgian stopper Mingolet.
The 24-year-old has impressed during his time with Sunderland – making 64 league appearances since signing from Sint-Truiden in 2010 – and the Metro understand that Wenger will scout the player over the Christmas period with a view to making a £5m bid when the transfer window re-opens in January.
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I’m not convinced Martin O’Neill will be persuaded to sell his first choice keeper for just £5m but it’s good to see the boss appears to be looking for someone to compete with Szczesny.
I think us Arsenal fans have seen enough of Fabianski and Mannone to realise they’re not first-choice material so we need a reliable deputy. I would prefer it to be someone older and more experienced than Szczesny, someone he can learn a few things from, but Mingolet is a talented lad and would certainly push Wojciech if we’re able to bring him in.
But like i say, i think it’s going to take a bit more than the reported £5m Wenger is prepared to pay to lure him away from Sunderland next month.
Who do you think Arsene should sign next month? Get involved in the comments section below.
