According to The Sun, Arsenal have expressed the desire to sign Daniel Bachmann. The Watford star has emerged as the latest target for Mikel Arteta in his quest to find a new goalkeeper. He is valued at around £15 million, even though the Hornets have no desire to cash in on him this summer, especially after gaining promotion back to the top-flight.
Who Is Daniel Bachmann?
A native of Austria, Daniel Bachmann has spent the majority of his football career in the UK, with spells at Stoke City, Wrexham, Ross County and Bury. He moved to Watford in 2017, joining on a free transfer before being shipped out on loan to Kilmarnock in 2018.
Bachmann enjoyed an excellent season in the Premiership, but it wasn’t until the 2020/21 campaign when he made his breakthrough at Watford. He initially started the game as the second choice behind the ageing Ben Foster but ended up with 21 league appearances.
The former Sturm Graz prodigy clinched 11 clean sheets, with his performances in between the sticks playing a key role in ensuring promotion for the Hornets. His impressive form also made him Austria’s first-choice goalkeeper during Euro 2020, as he ended up featuring in all four matches, despite having only made his debut in July.
In the Championship last season, only Tim Krul had a better save percentage (80%) than Bachmann (76%), who also made quite an impression with his awareness in the box as well as his quick reflexes and an imposing presence.
Should Arsenal Go All Out?
A key behind Watford’s success in the Championship and one of the breakout stars in Austrian football, Daniel Bachmann certainly has what it takes to star in the Premier League. As such, he could be an ideal signing for Arsenal as they look to move on Bernd Leno, whose complacency had a vital role to play in their disappointing league finish last time out.
Although Bachmann may not be as experienced as some of the other options available in the market, he is a modern goalkeeper who can get out of his lines whilst boasting fast reflexes. His tall 1.91m frame is also a massive help when it comes to covering a large area in goal, thus making him a difficult player to beat in between the sticks.
With that in mind, Daniel Bachmann should be an ideal replacement for Leno. His lack of pedigree may even be a blessing for the Gunners as the Austrian is far less likely to demand a lucrative paycheck and for a fee of just £15 million, he could be an absolute bargain for Mikel Arteta.
Unfortunately, it appears unlikely that Watford would want to let go of their goalkeeper anytime soon, ultimately forcing Arsenal to explore other alternatives.
