Derek Rae has claimed that Arsenal goalkeeper, Bernd Leno, is someone who is ‘highly thought of’ back in Germany, as he told the Highbury Squad Podcast.
The Bundesliga expert and football commentator added that he can’t visualise a German club wanting to sign Leno during the summer transfer window.
For a number of years, Leno was Arsenal’s number one, including at the start of this campaign.
But, with Mikel Arteta bringing Aaron Ramsdale to the club, he then replaced Leno in between the sticks and he hasn’t looked back since.
As a result, there has been talk of Leno possibly leaving, as Rae reacted to the possibility of him going back home.
“He has been there for a while now, at Arsenal,” said Rae. “He was at Leverkusen. He is still highly thought of.
“One thing Germany does pretty well is producing goalkeepers, so you almost have this conveyor belt of younger goalkeepers coming through.
“I am not sure I can visualise, at the moment, and I haven’t seen him linked with any particular German club. I can’t visualise one club that would say ‘yes, I want to get Bernd Leno back into Germany’.
“If you look at all the big clubs there, they are fairly well off. Leverkusen are maybe could upgrade – I think it’s one to watch, more than anything. I’m not aware of one German club putting all their eggs in the Leno basket, as good as he is and as credible as he’s viewed in Germany.”
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Signed by Arsenal in 2018 for £19 million (Guardian), Leno has been a great servant for the north London club.
But given how high Ramsdale has taken his game, it’s going to take something special for the German international to return as number one now.
As a back-up, it’s great for Mikel Arteta to call upon such a player of top quality and experience.
That was proven during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa prior to the international break when he secured a clean sheet, including producing a top save right at the death.
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