Arsenal: 3 Reasons Mat Ryan is the Ideal January Transfer

Arsenal have confirmed the loan signing of goalkeeper Mathew Ryan from Brighton until the end of the season.

In the modern era where nothing flies under the radar – not even training ground scuffles – the stunning announcement of Mathew Ryan‘s signing surprised all of an Arsenal affiliation…and beyond.

Seeing Runar Alex Runarsson let Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick squirm straight through his fingers having already flapped at the precious few shots he’d faced up until that point, it became clear that among the countless needs in the Gunners’ squad, a backup goalkeeper was essential.

A January window that began with all attention on offloading players has now moved in the other direction, with the Australian keeper expected to be followed by the addition of Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid. Out of the blue, but not out of their minds, here is why Ryan is an excellent January addition.

3 reasons why Mat Ryan is the perfect January loan transfer for Arsenal

There has been some confusion over whether Ryan is homegrown or not given he holds a British passport through his Scottish mother. This has turned out not be true but it does add an interesting option in the summer.

Ryan’s Brighton deal expires at the end of the season and while Arsenal may look to pursue younger, long-term targets then, if they do indeed sign him on a free transfer it will help with the new Brexit rules given his passport status.

That option now becomes an enticing one should goalkeeper pursuits fail in the off-season.

The likelihood is that Runarsson will leave on loan this window anyway. In order to secure players who aren’t homegrown, namely Odegaard, Arsenal will need to move the Icelandic stopper on, or someone else in the squad not meeting the homegrown tag.

Given Ryan has come in, a Runarsson departure appears imminent.

The Necessity of Mathew Ryan’s Arrival

It goes without saying that Bernd Leno is the undisputed number one at Arsenal. His place in the team is not under any threat.

Regular point-saving stops have rescued Arsenal when they’ve needed it most, so he will continue in his role. He does, however, need cover. Well, more specifically, good cover.

Runarsson is way out of his depth and the fear lingering over Arsenal if Leno were to miss a string of games haunts the club and its fans. Imperative that someone came in this window to not only cover but also challenge Leno and shift him out of his comfort zone, Ryan fits the bill. Even if he will keep his place in the Premier League, competition is healthy.

Moreover, in terms of options there were precious few who could fit this mould without breaking the bank. Arsenal will want to pursue the likes of David Raya and Freddie Woodman as long-term options and eventual successors to Leno, but they don’t boast the financial clout at this moment in time while both would prove difficult operations to pull off.

Raya would command a hefty fee and is integral to Brentford as they push for promotion from the Championship, while Woodman is currently embarking on a second successive season-long loan at Swansea who are chasing the same cause.

In signing Ryan, Arsenal solve their short-term needs without impacting their long-term ambitions. Given the options, it was about as good as they could get. Almost entirely risk free.

Mathew Ryan’s Pedigree

There is a reason why Graham Potter chose to drop Mat Ryan this season: his form took a significant hit.

In his time with Brighton, the Aussie stopper performed well against his xG for two seasons, which then tailed off in the last season and a half. Sitting at -3.2 this term, the statistics don’t read too well, although the overall balance sees him over-perform at +1.3 (Fbref).

Now it is about finding consistency in his performances, as there is some trepidation about signing a goalkeeper who is, indeed, desperately out of form.

Ryan is a vastly experienced goalkeeper, though. Over 100 outings in the Premier League, over 380 in total and having featured in two World Cups, he comes with good pedigree.

While he hasn’t been at the usual standard expected in the past 12 months, he drew admirers from across the division when almost single-handedly keeping the Seagulls in the Premier League upon their return to the top-flight. A fine shot-stopper and good with his feet, his time in a Brighton side who are built around a possession-based style that begins from the goalkeeper puts him in good stead to slot into his new surroundings.

Aside from ability, there is no language barrier, the love he has for his boyhood club is undeniable, there will be no significant bedding in period and no major relocation. With the options available, there were no better candidates.