Brad Friedel has expressed his surprise at USMNT international Matt Turner looking to secure a transfer away from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal to join Steve Cooper’s, Nottingham Forest.
The former Premier League goalkeeper thinks Matt Turner is leaving Arsenal to be a ‘number two’ at the City Ground and he just ‘doesn’t understand’ that thought process, as he told The Transfer Show on Sky Sports (07/08/23 at 7:45 pm).
Last season, the Midlands outfit had Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson on a season-long loan deal, and it seems as though they will be securing his services again.
If that’s the case, then it puts Turner back onto the bench, which is why Friedel is raising this issue about his fellow countryman.
Last summer, after the exit of Bernd Leno to Fulham, the USMNT international came into the building at the Emirates from the MLS.
Turner was a number one at New England Revolution, and whilst Friedel can’t understand his next rumoured move, he didn’t quite get why he moved to Arsenal in the first place.
“I don’t know,” said Friedel about Turner’s reasoning behind wanting to go to Forest. “He is a great kid. But I never understood his move to Arsenal. He went from New England Revolution, there were other suitors for him, and he is good enough to be a number one in the Premier League or another club in Europe.
“Why did he choose to do that? I don’t really know. He was an Arsenal supporter growing up, but that can’t be a reason why you sign for a number two, not to play football.
“If he is going (to Forest), from what I hear, he is going as a number two to Forest, maybe it gives him more of a chance to play. Maybe he was told that they were going to bring in Raya and he was going to be a number three.
“I hope for his sake that he will be given a fair shake to be the number one at Nottingham Forest. He is a great kid and a really good goalkeeper. If he is signing as a number two elsewhere, again, I just don’t understand that. There are other teams he can play for as a number one.”
If Raya joins Arsenal…
Even though many Arsenal fans are happy with Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s number one, it does seem as though Mikel Arteta has other ideas and David Raya could come in from Brentford.
If that’s the case, then it does put Turner as the number three and it’s understandable why he would then leave.
Yes, he is swapping one bench for another, but at least he will then have a chance at Forest, whereas, he would have two number one quality keepers ahead of him at Arsenal.
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