Arsenal’s on-loan goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is reportedly on the verge of agreeing on a deal with Serie A Champions and UEFA Champions League finalist Juventus. Sky Sports has claimed that North London club has agreed to a £14 million deal for the homegrown shot-stopper and decided he stays in Italy for the next four years.
The 27-year-old Polish international has had a brilliant season with AS Roma as he conceded just 38 goals in 38 games with a phenomenal one goal per game record, just as his last season. He has also completed 14 shutouts, playing a significant role in helping Roma finish second in the Serie A table.
He had conceded 34 goals in 34 games the previous season with 8 shutouts. His outstanding progress was bound to catch Juventus’ attention and they have wasted absolutely no time in getting their target. While the player will be more than happy to remain as the second fiddle to legend Gianluigi Buffon and earning £3.5 million a season for being an understudy, it is the English club which is at a loss.
An academy product of Legia Warsaw, Arsenal had recognised his talent long back bringing him to their famed academy when he was only 16-year-old. The club has since invested nine years of time and money and in this course of time, the player has played 181 games for the club, conceding only 194 goals.
Szczesny’s has conceded an average of 1.72 goals per game for Arsenal, as compared to Manchester United’s star goalie David De Gea, who has conceded an average of 1.75 goals per game. And if reports are to be believed then United are asking £65 million from Real Madrid for the Spaniard, who is just a year younger than Szczesny.
Juventus are surely rejoicing now with the deal almost closed. They have acquired a replacement for one of their longest serving players and world’s best number one for a fee, which is nothing to the Turin club. At a time, where clubs like AS Monaco and Benfica are placing price tags at will while disposing of their raw young talents outside, Arsenal let go of a sufficiently experienced goalie, who will be in his prime for the next few years, for just around £15 million.
However, Arsenal haven’t done this for the first time either. In 2012, Arsene Wenger had decided to sell off Robin Van Persie, who was Premier League’s top scorer in the 2011-12 season with 30 goals and the club’s eighth top scorer in the history, to Manchester United for only £22.5 million. And Everton have labelled Romelu Lukaku, who is the league second top scorer with 25 goals, at a whopping £100 million pound.
Although Arsenal are in talks to bring in Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford as they let their Polish goalie go, his price is surely much more than £14 million. And while we applaud Arsene Wenger for getting Rob Holding for £2 million and Sead Kolasinac for free, the world is surely laughing at the 67-year-old for this deal.
