Arsenal have absolutely no intention of selling Bernd Leno in January, according to the Athletic.
Not going anywhere
Leno has lost his place in Arsenal’s starting line-up this term, after the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale.
It was initially expected that Ramsdale would be brought in as back-up, but his starring performances in Arsenal’s goal have quickly seen him take Leno’s place.
That has sparked speculation that the German stopper could depart the Emirates Stadium at the next opportunity.
However, the Athletic’s latest update suggests that Arsenal have no plans to sell him mid-season.
Mikel Arteta wants to keep Leno around, as he aims to keep strong competition for a place between the sticks for his side.
Sensible strategy?
At the moment Ramsdale knows that if he does have a dip in form, then his place will soon come under threat.
Leno is clearly a very capable custodian, and few teams in the Premier League boast the same strength in depth as Arsenal in the goalkeeping department.
When Leno does leave, which will surely be a possibility in the summer, it will be difficult for Arsenal to replace him with equal quality.
And although the £100,000-a-week goalkeeper’s (Spotrac) value may be steadily dropping during his time out of the team, it does seem sensible for the Gunners to keep him around.
At the end of the season Arsenal can re-assess their long-term goalkeeping plans, which may well not involve Leno.
But while he is training well and continuing to support his teammates, there is no real need for Arteta to rush into making any decisions over the 29-year-old’s future.
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