Are Arsenal Really Going To Pay £40 Million For A Back Up Keeper?

Arsenal fans are patiently watching the transfer rumour mill to see who might be manager Mikel Arteta’s next capture this summer following on from the arrivals of West Ham United’s Declan Rice, Chelsea’s Kai Havertz and Ajax’s Jurrien Timber.

There are still names in the frame although at this moment in time it feels like there are not any that are ready to come to a conclusion, but over the weekend our reported interest in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya seemed to spike a little, as their gaffer went public with a £40 million fee.

For those fans who like a flutter, they may well be paying attention to the betting odds here. There is plenty of time left yet in the transfer market for Arteta to make further captures which further increase their odds of going one step further in the 2023/24 campaign and actually lifting the title again. They were after all, 40/1 before a ball was kicked in August 2022, and the other month their odds for the year ahead shorted from 9/1 to 6/1 based on the Rice news alone. More high profile signings that bolster the whole group could see further movement. Currently, you can get up to £30 in free bets if you use this bet365 UK bonus code provided by BritishGambler.

Given the performances of current No 1 Aaron Ramsdale last season, there will certainly be those Gooners out there who feel that £40 million as a fee would be heavily inflated, and moreover, that give the slight differences between the two, Ramsdale’s development pathway remains the better given he is the younger player.

“Like everything it’s a negotiation. I would love to get £40m. That’s what he’s worth. I think he’s one of the best keepers, he was one of the four best keepers in the Premier League last season, so what is the price? And Kane you’re talking one year left and £150m. The keeper is at his best age I think. But anyway a good thing I am not negotiating. That is for Phil Giles and Matthew Benham and Arsenal. I just take care of the coaching.”

He added.

“Of course as a coach you want players in as quickly as possible and players you want to sell out as quick as possible, but it’s never like that. That’s why we have transfer deadline day and a lot of things going on. We know it’s always complicated, always two sides of the coin and there’s always negotiation. People need to meet somewhere.”

A very public statement for somebody who simply takes care of the coaching, and the more cynical in the fanbase will feel that we have expressed an interest, but that Frank is simply trying to use the media to start a bidding war for the 27 year old given he only has one year left on his contract, and does look very likely to move on this summer, with German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich also tentatively linked with him.

It feels unlikely that there will be much travel in this particular rumour given the price and the other reliable stoppers that are out there, and despite reported interest from Nottingham Forest in Matt Turner, he is certainly not going anywhere yet either.