Arsenal may be on the verge of a major squad overhaul including their manager, at the end of the season, as they are currently in one of their worst periods under current manager Arsene Wenger. But that has not stopped the club from scouting for potential addition to the squad in the summer and the latest name that is linked with a move to Emirates is Bernd Leno.
Arsenal Want Leno To Replace Cech:
A transfer target for the club for more than a year now, Bernd Leno has been in decent form for Bayer Leverkusen, as their first choice shot-stopper in Germany for a couple of seasons now. And reports in Spain now suggest that Arsenal are convinced that he is the right man to replace Petr Cech in goal at Emirates.
The German star has a release clause in his contract that will allow the Gunners to snap him up at just £22m and Leno himself recently revealed that he is ready for a move, if offered regular playing time elsewhere. So is he the right man for Arsenal?
Leno And His Potential:
A product of the academy at VfB Stuttgart, the 26-year old made his first senior appearances in Bundesliga at Bayer Leverkusen, after he joined them back in 2011. He did not take too much time to establish himself in the first team and has now made 212 Bundesliga appearances, standing as one of the most experienced GKs in the country at the moment.
He has six appearances for the German national side and has been effective this season, letting in just 33 goals in 25 league games, keeping seven clean sheets.
Showing improvement by the year, he has hardly reached his peak but has already made some match-winning contributions for Leverkusen over the years. Known for his dominant presence in the box, Leno is a pro-active keeper, who loves to snap up every cross into the box. He is an excellent shot stopper but his strengths lie in commanding his box and setting up his team on attacks quickly.
He is rarely prone to mistakes and at his age, has at least a decade of his best football ahead of him.
Right Man To Replace Cech?
Arsenal have had some of the best names under the bar under Arsene Wenger, the latest being Petr Cech. Though he has a year left on his contract, he has shown enough decline for Arsenal to jump into the transfer market in search of another shot-stopper.
While there are many attractive names out in the market, Leno, who is available at just £22m, with all his potential, is as good an option as any. His experience in Bundesliga and the final year under Cech will help him adjust to the English game, and he could easily cement himself at the club for years to come. But is he the best option for Arsenal?
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored