The Goalkeeper Saga at Arsenal FC

Goalkeeping units within football squads, particularly for top European clubs, are generally expected to be stable with low turnover in personnel. It is usually smaller clubs with top talent on their books who are forced into signing new keepers by bigger clubs who poach their stars between the sticks.

Take, for example, David Seaman who spent 13 years at Arsenal. Iker Casillas was first-choice goalkeeper at Real Madrid for 16 of the 25 years he remained on the club’s books. Gianluigi Buffon kept goal for 19 years at Juventus across two spells, David de Gea and Hugo Lloris for 12 each at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs. Quicker turnover is not a symptom of modern football either: Manuel Neuer has been at Bayern Munich since 2011, Ederson at Manchester City since 2017, and Alisson Becker at Liverpool since 2018.

Essentially, once clubs find their first choice shot-stoppers, they tend to stick with them. Not so, however, Arsenal FC. Not in their recent history, at least.

No, Arsenal—Manager Mikel Arteta and Iñaki Caña, their goalkeeping coach, in particular—have now developed something of a reputation for signing new goalkeepers and discarding old ones in every transfer window.

The Changes in Personnel

When Mikel Arteta returned to the club from where he had retired as a player to take over its managerial reins, Arsenal had eight [8] goalkeepers across their first-team and U-21 squads. They were: Bernd Leno, Emiliano Martínez, Matt Macey, Karl Hein, Tom Smith, James Hillson, Dejan Iliev, and Remy Mitchell.

Only Karl Hein remains at the club today, and even he very nearly left for new pastures this summer.

In his first summer transfer window [2020], Arteta sold Emiliano Martínez to Aston Villa and academy talent Pedro Virgínia to Porto—and signed Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson from Djion. Matt Macey was sold to Hibernian in January 2021 and Mathew Ryan was brought in on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Arsenal signed Aaron Ramsdale for £24m from Sheffield United in August 2021, a move which was widely criticized at the time because the goalkeeper had suffered two successive relegations, first with Bournemouth and then the Blades. In the January window, the club terminated Dejan Iliev’s contract, and ended his 10-year stay in North London.

Matt Turner was signed from New England Revolution in June 2022 while Bernd Leno was sold to Fulham and Remy Mitchell moved to Swansea City on a free transfer.

Tom Smith and Alexandar Kovacevic were released from the academy upon expiration of their contracts on 30th June 2023, and Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson’s contract was terminated on 1st February 2024. Matt Turner was sold, at profit, to Nottingham Forest after just one year at the club, and David Raya joined on loan from Brentford in August 2023.

Once more, Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation stirred heavy debate among fans, pundits, and media outlets alike. Bringing in Raya when Ramsdale had done so well over the previous two seasons was deemed unnecessary and redundant. However, Raya’s own performances—and winning the Golden Glove—in his first season at the club have since caused the uproar to die down.

The Present and the Future

All of which brings us to the current transfer window, and Arsenal have already had heavy rotation in the goalkeeping department with further moves all but certain.

David Raya’s loan move from Brentford has been made permanent, and Aaron Ramsdale has long been expected to move in search of a regular starting spot.

Meanwhile, five goalkeepers have already left the club upon expiration of their contracts, including Arthur Okonkwo, Ovie Ejeheri, Hubert Graczyk, James Hillson, and Noah Cooper.

Karl Hein and Brian Okonkwo [brother to Arthur] have signed new contracts, and 18-year old Lucas Nygaard has been signed from Nordsjælland.

The club are also in discussions to sign 30-year old Dan Bentley from Wolves as third choice goalkeeper for his experience and exciting 18-year old prospect Tommy Setford from Ajax.

Furthermore, Arsenal have already identified Espanyol’s 23-year old Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia as the ideal replacement if they are able to sell Aaron Ramsdale—which given their demands, his wages, and the state of the transfer market will prove to be tough.

So, if Arsenal can successfully complete the four deals they hope/want to make this window, and send Karl Hein out on loan per one of the conditions of his contract renewal, their goalkeeping unit should look something as follows at the beginning of next season:

First-Team - David Raya + Joan Garcia + Dan Bentley + Karl Hein [Loan]

Academy - Tommy Setford + Lucas Nygaard + Brian Okonkwo + Alexei Rojas

Permanent Goalkeeper Arrivals and Departures - Since June 2020

Arrivals - Five [05]

Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson - Dijon [21 September 2020]

Aaron Ramsdale - Sheffield United [20 August 2021]

Matt Turner - New England Revolution [27 June 2022]

Lucas Nygaard - Nordsjælland [27 Jun 2024]

David Raya - Brentford [04 Jul 2024]

Expected Arrivals

Joan Garcia - Espanyol

Dan Bentley - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tommy Setford - Ajax

Departures - Fifteen [15]

Pedro Virgínia - Porto [01 July 2020]

Emiliano Martínez - Aston Villa [16 September 2020]

Matt Macey - Hibernian [08 January 2021]

Dejan Iliev - AS Trenčín [17 January 2022]

Remy Mitchell - Swansea City [01 July 2022]

Bernd Leno - Fulham [02 August 2022]

Tom Smith - Colchester United [30 Jun 2023]

Alexandar Kovacevic - Released [30 Jun 2023]

Matt Turner - Nottingham Forest [09 Aug 2023]

Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson - Copenhagen [01 Feb 2024]

Arthur Okonkwo - Wrexham [30 Jun 2024]

Ovie Ejeheri - Released [30 Jun 2024]

Hubert Graczyk - Released [30 Jun 2024]

James Hillson - Released [30 Jun 2024]

Noah Cooper - Stoke City [30 Jun 2024]

Expected Departures

Aaron Ramsdale

Read more Arsenal news, transfer news and rumours...