Tottenham Hotspur director Fabio Paratici tried to lure former Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny back to the Premier League during the January transfer window but the Pole has no intention of leaving Juventus just yet, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
At the risk of making you all feel that little bit older this Monday afternoon, Szczesny is now only a couple of weeks away from his 33rd birthday. Despite simultaneously feeling like he’s been around forever and, on the other hand, like an eternal up-and-comer, the Poland international is rapidly approaching the autumn days of his career. Leaves crunching underfoot.
Szczesny knows that too.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the three-time Serie A champion is determined to remain at the highest possible level until his Juventus contract expires in the summer of 2024.
Former Arsenal ace Wojciech Szczesny turns down Tottenham Hotspur move
Juve, despite a 15-point penalty, remain one of Serie A’s bonafide big-hitters. Qualification for Europe is still a distinct possibility too. In fact, if you were to slap those extra 15 points on top of Juventus’ existing tally, Max Allegri’s side would be level with second-place Inter Milan. Results-wise, 2023 has been largely pretty excellent so far.
Szczesny’s Arsenal past, meanwhile, meant Tottenham were always up against it in their pursuit of the Gunners graduate. Paratici, Tottenham’s former Juventus director, hoped to bring in Szczesny last month as extra competition for the out-of-sorts and now-injured Hugo Lloris.
The one-time Brentford loanee rejected the opportunity to even open negotiations, however, committed as he is to helping Juventus bounce back from their well-publicised off-the-field issues.
Samuel Iling-Junior, the London-born Juventus whizzkid, admitted to The Athletic recently that he and Szczesny both still ‘support Arsenal from afar’.
The player himself, meanwhile, once told The Sun back in 2012 that he has a deep-rooted hatred for the Gunners’ cross-town rivals. Ten years may have passed since then, however, but football fans don’t tend to take too kindly to a new signing speaking publicly about their dislike for your club.
‘A super goalkeeper’
Szczesny’s form in recent months has been, it’s fair to say, a little mixed. He was excellent at the Qatar World Cup, however; putting a few high-profile errors at club level behind him.
“Of all the goalkeepers at the World Cup, I like the goalkeeper of the Polish national team Wojciech Szczesny the most,” said former Russia glovesman Ruslan Nigmatullin.
“He saved two penalties, made a huge number of saves. Of course, it is he who is the main character of the Polish national team. Who have gone further (in the tournament) despite not the most impressive performances.
“There are much more interesting teams that have already gone home. But Poland has a super goalkeeper.”
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