On loan Arsenal keeper, Wojciech Szczesny, is being linked with a permanent move to Italy.
The Polish goalkeeper is in his second season on loan with Roma after falling out with Arsene Wenger in 2014. Szczesny was caught smoking in the shower after a disappointing performance and it was reported that was the last straw for Wenger after a few other behavioral issues.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Roma are prepared to offer £14 million and hope to make the deal permanent during the current transfer window. Szczesny has 18-months left on his Arsenal contract and the club could be looking to cash-in on their youth product.
Arsenal signed Petr Cech in 2015, and also have David Ospina and Emiliano Martinez on the books. Ospina is likely to move on to a new club after this season to seek more first team opportunities. However, Martinez recently signed a contract extension and Wenger has touted the youngster as a future starter.
Unless Arsenal believes Szczesny could come in and challenge Cech for a starting spot, or Szczesny is satisfied as the club’s second choice keeper, selling seems to be the best option.
At 26-years old, Szczesny has yet to hit his prime but has made strides during his time at Roma. Sitting on the bench is unlikely to satisfy Szczesny and his development could stall. However, learning from an experienced keeper like Cech can’t hurt him, either.
In the end, a deal is likely to be agreed between the two clubs, although it may not happen until the summer. Additionally, £14 million seems on the cheap side for a young international keeper with lots of potential, so expect the price tag to be a bit higher. The longer Arsenal wait to sell, though, the less leverage they have over the price.
