Arsenal handed perfect Andre Onana & Noussair Mazraoui transfer invitations

Arsenal Free to Move for Andre Onana

The other option among the outgoing list at Ajax is goalkeeper Andre Onana, who the Gunners have already been credited with showing an interest in.

Another player with just one year left on his deal, the Cameroonian isn’t keen on signing a new contract and will be sold.

It’s been a desperately unfortunate year for Onana, who has gone from being coveted as one the best rated young goalkeepers in Europe a few years back to being forced to train away from his teammates. The 25-year-old hasn’t played since February after he failed an out-of-competition doping test with it claimed by Ajax that their goalkeeper accidentally took medicine prescribed for his wife. There is no reason not to believe him or the club. Still, not very clever.

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to hear his appeal in June before making a decision whether to shorten his 12-month ban to eight months, in which case he could return to training that month and be ready for action in August. He wasn’t even allowed to join in the title celebrations. It’s cruel.

Arsenal believe they can land him for £7m, which is an absolute bargain. Of course, there is this ban hanging over his head and, even if successful, his absence will have meant no competitive action for eight months. Other options remain.

If something can be arranged on Bernd Leno’s future, as rumoured, with Onana heading to north London, Arteta would be getting his hands on (pun intended) a superb shot-stopper. Onana’s save percentage is 77.8% (96th percentile) while his PSxG-GA (Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed) is in a delightfully high 99th percentile. Suiting the manager’s style, the keeper averages 46.83 passes per game which also has him in the 99th percentile, with the large majority of those being at short distances.

He’s backed up statistically yet there needs to be plenty of tempering with those numbers since Ajax are far and away the best side in the Netherlands, and with defenders such as Mazraoui in front of him he is given a helping hand (pun also intended).

This pair would be excellent additions to Arsenal for their ability and price. Cheap business isn’t always bad business. Max Aarons is this writer’s preference at right-back for more reasons than one, but opportunities such as these for players of this calibre don’t come about all too often.

Where’s the issue? Well, the AFCON months are going to suck.