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Martin Meissner/Associated Press
Arsenal have reportedly stolen a march on Barcelona in a bid to sign Swiss international goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Spanish newspaper Marca (h/t Alex Harris of the Daily Star) has reported Arsenal are in “advanced talks” with the Borussia Monchengladbach stopper.
The Gunners are keen on the 29-year-old despite having already signed Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer. Leno has joined Petr Cech and David Ospina as options between the posts, but Barca also retain an interest in Sommer as a potential replacement for deputy keeper Jasper Cillessen.
Harris noted how Cillessen no longer wants to be deputy to Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Like Arsenal, Barca would have to convince Sommer to accept being a No. 2.
However, Leno’s arrival doesn’t necessarily mean Arsenal should be finished addressing the goalkeeper position. There have been questions about Cech’s future recently, with former club Chelsea linked by Sky Sports News.
Barcelona want Sommer as backup keeper.TF-Images/Getty Images
Those rumours have since been downplayed by Cech’s agent, Viktor Kolar, who told ESPN FC’s Mattias Karen: “It is always busy during every transfer window around Petr Cech, as a great Premier League person. However, he maximally focuses on the new season at Arsenal, no specific offer is available.”
Cech also resisted links with Serie A outfit Napoli and the chance to reunite with ex-Chelsea boss Carlos Ancelotti back in June, per James Benge of the London Evening Standard.
Even so, the 36-year-old is unlikely welcome a role as a benchwarmer under new Arsenal head coach Unai Emery, even after an error-prone season:
WhoScored.com @WhoScored
Petr Cech: Committed more errors leading to an opposition goal (6) than any other player in Europe's top 5 leagues this season
For more player stats — https://t.co/58qVKf76gh https://t.co/OOcwIlBFOM
Squawka Football @Squawka
Petr Cech's record when facing penalties for Arsenal:
✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️✖️☑️✖️
Back to normality. https://t.co/Vmf4rxHULP
He may not have to given Leno’s own penchant for gaffes:
WhoScored.com @WhoScored
Bernd Leno: Only Oliver Baumann (10) has committed more errors leading to an opposition goal than Leno (9) since the start of the 2015/16 Bundesliga season
For more player stats — https://t.co/JnteeXoVNJ https://t.co/SFRTYYPDwn
Arsenal have to decide if Cech still has what it takes to at least provide competition at such a key position.
It’s a similar story for Ospina, who is wanted by Besiktas, according to the London Evening Standard‘s Giuseppe Muro. Like Cech, Ospina has struggled for consistency in recent seasons, despite being the first choice in cup competitions.
Emery has been overhauling the squad since succeeding Arsene Wenger in the dugout, and he would be wise to add another keeper as competition or insurance in case the German struggles.
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