Are Arsenal set to raid Stamford Bridge for shock signing of Chelsea star?
Arsenal eye stunning end of season move for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech as a replacement for out of favour No 1 Wojciech Szczesny.
SOURCE: The Daily Mail
When Arsene Wenger revealed that Wojciech Szczesny had been “mentally affected” by too much football and dropped the youngster for last week’s crucial Champions League last 16 second leg tie with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, it seemed abundantly clear that the Frenchman has lost total faith in the shot stopper.
The Frenchman caused a surprise by announcing in his pre match press conference ahead of that match at the Allianz Arena that Szczesny needed to be dropped due to mental fatigue, which must be the first time in the history of football that such a young keeper was ‘rested’ for such a reason.
And, following back to back clean sheets for Szczesny’s replacement, fellow Pole Lukasz Fabianski, Szczesny’s days as the Gunners’ first choice appear numbered, to say the very least.
The Daily Mail and a number of this morning’s UK newspapers report that Cech is just one of six goalkeepers on Wenger’s transfer shortlist as Wenger has finally decided to address his goalkeeping problem at the club. Other names mentioned as options to replace Szczesny in the long term including Pepe Reina, Asmir Begovic, Victor Valdes, Rene Adler and Michel Vorm.
However, replacing Szczesny with Chelsea keeper Cech would be quite some coup by Wenger, especially given the loathing between the two London rivals, with transfers from Stamford Bridge across the capital to the Emirates rare occurrences in modern-day football.
But if the West Londoners are serious about their intentions to recall highly rated Belgium international goalkeeper Thibault Courtois from his loan spell with La Liga outfit Atletico de Madrid at the end of this campaign, that could very well be a signal that the Blues are now set on going with the younger man of the two in goal next season.
The 20 year old Courtois has enjoyed two eye catching years in the Spanish capital which have not gone unnoticed back at the Bridge and purely on form, is now the better of the two Chelsea custodians.
And from the North Londoners’ point of view, snaring a keeper of the class, temperament and quality of Czech Republic veteran Cech would be quite a steal as he equally still has much to offer, despite his advancing years.
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