Arsenal make Mohamed Elneny & Bernd Leno transfer decisions

Arsenal to Keep Bernd Until the Summer Transfer Window

Aaron Ramsdale is not going to be knocked off his perch. As much as there should always be a fight to keep your space in the team, and Nuno Tavares-esque surprises can come at any time, it would be astounding to see Leno wrestle back his number one jersey.

The German finds himself in a tougher position than Elneny, as while the Egyptian is barely seeing the grass, he still remains a key figure in Carlos Queiroz’s national side and is not under threat of losing his place in the squad.

Leno is not in with a chance of being Die Mannschaft’s first choice keeper ahead of Manuel Neuer and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, but he does want to be part of the group that will be in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.

With other keepers vying for that spot his place is under threat, but from the Gunners’ point of view that doesn’t impact their thinking, as the report also states they would also like to keep him until the end of the season to keep sharing minutes in cup competitions with Ramsdale.

For the time being they have no interest in letting him go in January, an understandable decision as they will once again find themselves in a position where they need to source a No. 2 mid-season, either permanently or on a short-term loan. Arthur Okonkwo and Karl Hein are waiting in the wings, but unlikely to be trusted with such a responsibility given their lack of top-flight experience.

Leno’s attitude in training is said to be hugely positive, acting commendably in the group and in training despite being demoted to second choice.

If Arsenal get their wish with both players then they will lose Elneny for free – a contract expiry that doesn’t rank among the other unwanted cases in recent years – and will have the chance to sell Leno for some kind of fee in the summer when he has one year left on his deal.

Arteta has got a group together this season that he appears to be want to keep largely in tact. Squad harmony (‘unity’) has been a huge positive and disrupting that status quo as the side bid to return to European football is not in his thinking.