The Gunners have an excellent goalkeeper in Petr Cech but with the ex-Chelsea stopper already 35, his time at the club may be coming to an end. It would be wise for Arsenal to bring in a replacement now and allow him time to settle in, with Cech around to oversee a smooth transition in goal.
Here is a look at the possible choices to replace Cech at Arsenal:
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona):
The Barcelona goalkeeper will be a good addition to the Gunners team. Ter Stegen first broke into the scene with a young Borussia Monchengladbach reserve side back in 2009. In the summer of 2014, Barcelona announced the signing of Ter Stegen. The German played a good hand for the club in his first season and won the UEFA “Save of the Season” award for his heroic off the line save against Bayern Munich in the Champions League Semi-final clash.
Since Bravo left for City, Ter Stegen has gone on to become the number one for Barcelona on all fronts and has developed into one of the finest keepers. His gaming style suits Barcelona as he is comfortable on the ball and has a good eye for distribution.
His move to Arsenal will no doubt tempt him as it will give him a chance to play in the Premier League but he will not want to leave such a Barcelona side in favor of an Arsenal team who are waning away from top European glory.
Keylor Navas (Real Madrid):
The Costa Rican custodian has been an integral part of Zinedine Zidane’s two-time Champions League winning team. However, as is always the case with Real there is something more needed than just good performances to become a hero at Santiago Bernabeu.
The first and foremost problem Real have with Navas is the fact that he is turning 31 this year and does not have a long career ahead of him. This has prompted the Spanish capital outfit to look for other options despite Navas being in terrific form in goal. Moreover, with Real actively chasing Manchester United’s David De Gea and been linked with Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois as well, things don’t look bright for Navas. The reason for this is because the two keepers are young and have time on their side on top of the fact that they are the best in the world in what they do.
The Costa Rican also lacks the superstar factor needed to thrive in Real Madrid. The players in Real are not just professionals but celebrities followed by the world. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Isco and company have set a certain “Galactico” standard in terms of their celebrity like lifestyle, something Navas has been unable to do.
Jordan Pickford (Everton):
After a seriously impressive season with Sunderland, Pickford moved to Everton and has carried his fine form with him. It seems, however, bad luck follows the English man everywhere and he is once again left to play for a team fighting relegation rather than challenging for trophies. Pickford is young and wants to become a top player.
It would mean that despite moving to Everton this season, he would be open to a move if someone like Arsenal comes calling especially given Everton’s current form.
