Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has finally revealed his thoughts on leaving the club…
Bernd Leno has been in exceptional form since leaving Arsenal to sign for Fulham. Moving a short way across London was certainly best for him. However, the details of his departure have remained a mystery ever since.
Arsenal sold Leno for just £3m, which in hindsight seems like a measly fee for a goalkeeper of his quality. The truth is, Leno was always great for Arsenal when he played, rarely putting a foot (or hand?) wrong . He was one of the bright sparks in a team which at the time was not that great.
But now Aaron Ramsdale fills the net for the Gunners. This is largely the reason why Leno was sold, because Mikel Arteta preferred Ramsdale and saw Leno as too good to be a bench warmer. In hindsight, then, the move has benefitted all parties involved.
Speaking to Kicker, Bernd Leno has revealed his true thoughts on being sold in summer.
"“The situation was that the club had said they wanted to continue with young players. If the club tells you that you won’t be training with the team anymore and other things like that, then you have to accept that. That’s also part of the business. And that’s why I was allowed to move in the summer for just £3m.It wouldn’t have done me any good to say: I’ll chill here for a year and take the money with me – and in the end, I’ll be completely out of the window. So, I had to change clubs.”-Bernd Leno (quoted by The Boot Room)"
Leno seems to still hold a lot of respect for Arsenal, which is great to see. It wasn’t a bitter sale. Like I said earlier – the move had to happen and it turned out to be beneficial for all parties.
Bernd Leno was and still is a great player. If anything, his saves are even more appreciated by Fulham. He’s had some exceptional performances against big clubs, keeping 4 clean sheets so far this season. Interestingly, Leno is second in the Premier League for shots saved, only bettered by Brentford’s David Raya.
What do you think of Arsenal’s decision to sell Bernd Leno in hindsight?