Charles Watts says Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal selling Bernd Leno to Fulham has proven to be an ‘awful deal’.
Arsenal sold the 31-year-old to Fulham last summer and Watts also feels that Bernd Leno has outperformed Aston Villa goalkeeper and Argentina World Cup winner, Emiliano Martinez, in between the sticks, as he told Inside Arsenal.
Of course, both players were at Arsenal, but after realising they could no longer be number one, they moved onto a new chapter of their careers.
For Emiliano Martinez, he stepped in for Leno when he got injured, but then realised upon the German’s return, he wasn’t going to get back into the XI and moved to Villa.
Whilst Leno himself was pushed out by Aaron Ramsdale, who ironically enough, could now get a taste of his own medicine with summer loan signing, David Raya.
Nonetheless, this is what Arsenal-based journalist Watts had to say about Leno’s performances since he headed for the Emirates exit door.
Leno v Martinez
“I think that’s harsh on Leno,” said Watts. “I think Leno, last season, had a better season than Martinez. Obviously, Martinez won the World Cup, which was very, very good and he was great in that tournament.
“But, in the Premier League last season, I don’t think there was a better goalkeeper than Leno. He was brilliant for Fulham. It just (proved) that Arsenal (selling him) to Fulham was a nightmare. An awful deal for Arsenal. And he has been great for Fulham, Leno. I don’t think Martinez has been great for Aston Villa, by any means.”
Leno and Arsenal made the right call
Yes, Leno has been outstanding for Arsenal, but that doesn’t mean that Mikel Arteta should have kept him on board last summer.
This was a move that suited all parties. Aaron Ramsdale has taken Arsenal’s game up a level, whilst Leno has improved ten-fold at Craven Cottage.
In truth, if it wasn’t for the eight-game suspension of Aleksandar Mitrovic, then they might have even finished in Europe.
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