Germany’s third-best goalkeeper and arguably the second current according to his form, Bernd Leno has all but decided to join the English club Arsenal.
Arsenal are fresh off without their mainstay manager Arsene Wenger with Spaniard Unai Emery coming as a replacement for the Frenchman. The Spaniard has made a positive start to his campaign as a Gunners manager with the signing of the German international, Leno.
Leno has also been a target for Napoli but the keeper has made it clear he is ready to move to Arsenal. The North London club has made sure that the German international would make his way to the English club, with Mesut Ozil making the case for the youngster.
Leno’s 22 million buy-out clause:
Lichtsteiner confirmed, Sokratis done deal, Lucas Torreira fee agreed, Leno close.
All 4 of them deals get done, regardless of anything else, that’s a good window in my opinion. Stables the ship, and enough quality there to get back in the top 4.
Let’s get it done Arsenal! #AFC pic.twitter.com/cdCnQjMMJB
— now.arsenal (@nowarsenaI) June 12, 2018
Arsenal are in talks with Leverkusen and Leno’s representatives but are hopeful of getting a deal done as he has a £22m buy-out clause. With their main-man Petr Cech already 36-years-old, Emery is looking to replace the veteran with the German goalkeeper.
The other option for the Spaniard is Colombia’s, David Ospina. Ospina, with the limited game time that he got at the club, could not perform at a level at which Emery would want his stopper to be.
Further, under Emery Arsenal have already tied up the right-back Stephan Lichtensteiner and have all but agreed for a 12-million deal with the Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
What are the other positions that Arsenal are looking for?
Emery is also looking to strengthen his midfield options with the acquisition of Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira.
Bernd Leno: Only Manuel Neuer (56) has kept more clean sheets than Leno (45) since the start of the 2014/15 Bundesliga season
For more player stats — https://t.co/JnteeXoVNJ pic.twitter.com/6R7gm8mGp5
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) June 13, 2018
With Torreira, not only will Arsenal fill in all the positions that they required prior to the season, but Emery will also make a side that will fight for the top-four position in the Premier League.
Emery would look to make Arsenal a top side in the Premier League, with the side under Wenger finishing outside the top four twice in two years.
