Swansea City’s Vorm is simply too good to be second choice at Arsenal, the transfer would make no sense all round.
In today’s papers Arsenal have been linked with signing Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm.
The 28-year-old goalkeeper has been in fine form for the Swans this season, except for when he gifted Andrei Arshavin a goal at the Emirates in September.
He was signed for a bargain £1.5 million last summer and would likely cost at least four times that now.
We could understand him wanting to move on to play Champions League football, but if goes to Arsenal, the likelihood is he won’t be ;playing, just watching from the bench.
Woljiech Szcezsny is currently the undisputed number one, and he deserves his spot.
Arsenal are naturally looking to shift some of the dead wood in the goalkeeping department, Fabianski, Almunia, and Mannone, and it is likely one back-up at least will be brought in.
What they shouldn’t do, and this may not make sense at first, is buy somebody too good- like Vorm.
Having Vorm and Szczesny competing for two goalkeeping spots will be healthy competition, but Arsenal could end up with a situation like Manchester United did early this season.
With both David de Gea and Anders Lingegaard competing strongly for the same position, each and every mistake either made was intensely scrutinised, and both were regularly rotated.
Arsenal have had defensive issues at times this season, but more often than not, Szczesny has been their most reliable performer at the back.
Why risk disrupting this? Of course there is the risk of injury, and Arsenal would need somebody capable of stepping up, but as shown at Chelsea with Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, that chance may never arrive.
So why would Vorm, entering the peak of his career want to go from playing regularly to sitting on the bench?
No, Arsenal need to sign a goalkeeper who isn’t as good as Vorm, and really one who is in a different age bracket.
They should look for a veteran, or even a youngster. Veteran Steve Harper at Newcastle who is out of contract this summer has been previously suggested as a stopgap number two, while Wayne Hennessey at Wolves, who is 25, could be picked up on the cheap, and would accept being second choice and wait for his chance.
Not to mention that Swansea would be loathe to lose their Dutchman. No we don’t see this particular transfer of Vorm to Arsenal happening, the Gunners should look at alternatives.
Who should be Arsenal’s second choice goalkeeper next season?
image: © Vincent Teeuwen
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