Arsenal: The big problem with Bernd Leno

Arsenal are being linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno. But there is one big problem: he hasn’t ironed out his mistakes from his younger years.

David de Gea’s early period at Manchester United was not easy. Littered with mistakes, moments of hesitation and proof that his slight stature may forever hinder his time in England, the goalkeeper was largely written off by swathes of fans and members of the media. But in the midst of such toil and turbulence, talent presided.

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Sir Alex Ferguson, to his credit, recognised that talent. He nurtured it, fine-tuned it, honed it. He addressed the weaknesses in de Gea’s game, he added muscle to his slender frame, he learned how to command his penalty area, all while preserving his cat-like shot-stopping ability.

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He was only 20 when he was signed. He had much growing and maturing to do. And he did it. And now, seven years later, he is roundly considered the best goalkeeper in the Premier League if not the world. He targeted his shortcomings, worked to improve them, and rounded out his game.

A similar career trajectory was forecasted for Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno. Initially on loan, but since having made it permanent, the German has been Leverkusen’s starting goalkeeper since the 2011/12 season, during which he was just 19 years of age, a year younger than de Gea.

There were, like with de Gea, growing pains. His youthful naivety would come to the fore every now and then with silly mistakes or positional errors or a lack of communication with and command of his defence. But they were to be expected, to be understood, to be swallowed, knowing that they would be bumps in the road towards a greater career.

But unlike de Gea, Leno has not progressed his game in the same manner. He is still making the same mental errors that he was when he was 21. He is still guilty of the lapses in concentration, the failure to do the simple things, the inability to be consistent and reliable. He is the same goalkeeper now, at 26, that he always has been.

That is a major problem. It is my main issue with Arsenal reportedly targeting him as Petr Cech’s successor. It is not to say that Leno is a bad player. He is on the cusp of the German national team — he was the first goalkeeper to miss out on the 23-man squad for this summer’s World Cup — and already has just short of 400 senior club appearances. But has he plateaued already?

Where de Gea proved his progression and his potential, Leno has stalled, so much so that he is considered the same level of talent as Jan Oblak or Alisson Becker or Gianluigi Donnarumma. Is he a significant upgrade on Petr Cech? The very fact that that question is viable proves the German’s stagnation.

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Three years ago, Arsenal would have been signing a young, vastly talented goalkeeper who needs to iron his mistakes out; now, Arsenal would be signing a mid-20s, vastly talented goalkeeper who needs to iron his mistakes out. There comes a point where the present is more significant than potential, and that is the problem with Leno.