Arsenal have a number of positions to strengthen this summer, and Andre Onana appears to be a top target to replace Bernd Leno in goal.
There are real question marks over the future of Bernd Leno, and if the German leaves, a new first-choice stopper will be needed – especially with Mat Ryan back at Brighton and Runar Runarsson clearly not good enough.
A number of goalkeepers have been linked with Arsenal already, and Onana looks to be the favourite unless there is a sudden twist.
Arsenal’s interest in Onana
Fabrizio Romano has stated that Arsenal have wanted Onana for months, viewing him as the ‘perfect’ goalkeeper.
NOS reported earlier this month that Arsenal want to sign Onana and have even promised him the first-choice role if he makes the move.
The fee depended on Onana’s ban for a doping violation being reduced, and with Onana inside the final year of his Ajax contract, he could be signed for just under £8million.
That’s an incredible bargain if Arsenal can pull it off, but reports from Goal suggest that the Gunners may face some real competition.
Could Tottenham swoop in for Onana?
Goal claim that an unnamed top-eight Premier League side are pursuing Onana too, and have even made contact over a potential deal.
That mystery club has left Arsenal fans wondering, and Tottenham make real sense as being a contender – even if just by process of elimination.
Manchester City and Leicester City don’t need Onana, neither do Liverpool or Manchester United. There could be an argument for Chelsea getting involved, but that seems unlikely.
That leaves West Ham or Tottenham, and with Hugo Lloris now approaching 36, Tottenham need to start thinking about their future stopper.
Onana still has a huge future ahead of him at 25, and Tottenham wouldn’t be put off by Onana being banned until November; they would still have Lloris to play until Onana is available.
Smart teams have replacements for key players lined up well before they lose them; look at Leicester signing Caglar Soyuncu a year before Harry Maguire’s exit, meaning he was able to simply slot into the side.
Leicester weren’t held to ransom over a replacement for Maguire because they had already found one, saving themselves money in the process.
That’s the sort of thing Tottenham and Fabio Paratici would be wise to do over Lloris, and if they have a real shot at beating Arsenal to an £8million deal for Onana, they have to go for it.
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