Arsenal suffer transfer setback with goalkeeper deal

Arsenal, like so many others, are struggling to sell this summer. It’s understandable why. What doesn’t help either is that the players the club are trying ship aren’t exactly flying off the shelf. They’re wanted out for a reason.

Loans are the go-to deal this summer with clubs struggling to finance permanent transfers, an issue exacerbated by the wages many Premier League footballers are on. Especially Arsenal’s.

However, in this case Alex Runarsson is not a top earner. Nor is he especially talented. His place in the squad is, at present, in the number two slot with Bernd Leno being the leading man between the sticks and Arthur Okonkwo promoted to the senior setup, but his days are numbered.

A move to Altay SK had been mooted with the deal in the closing stages, one that would help initiate Mikel Arteta’s pursuit of Aaron Ramsdale.

There has, unfortunately, been a snag in that transfer.

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Arsenal suffer transfer setback with Alex Runarsson deal as move to Turkish side Altay for the Icelandic goalkeeper falls through

As per The Telegraph, that move has fallen through. It was only designed to be a simple loan with no purchase option or obligation for the newly promoted side but a disagreement in discussions, believed to be centred around personal terms, will prompt a rethink.

Runarsson is still expected to leave this window with neither the manager nor the fanbase especially convinced of his ability to play backup to Leno.

It’s still an unfortunate occurrence considering the wealth of work to be done this summer, with a new second choice keeper one of the many essential deals needed to be completed. The aforementioned Ramsdale sits top of the pile to join, with two bids having been rejected already.

Sheffield United are holding out for £30m – that figure is closer to £40m if the local press in south Yorkshire are to be believed – a figure that if even at the bottom end of the scale will constitute a significant outlay for someone who is unlikely to become first choice until next summer at the earliest when Leno enters the final year of his deal.

Runarsson moving on is more than just important for the sake of quality as it’s clear Ramsdale is being eyed to solve the homegrown quota too, one Arsenal need to amend quickly in order to meet the Premier League requirements.

Hopefully there are a new more newly promoted Turkish sides in need of a goalkeeper.