Arsenal loanee keeper Wojciech Szczesny is ready return to Roma on yet another loan deal but this with an option to remain with the Italian giants for a reported €18m, Football Italia understands. The report also claims that the two clubs are close to reaching an agreement for the player.
Szczesny, who was part of the Poland national team that participated in the Euros this year, though he missed most of the tournament with a muscular injury.
In his career as an Arsenal player, Wojciech Sczcesny has seen himself go from being 3rd choice to 1st choice and then back to 3rd choice keeper.. He rose over the likes of Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski to become Arsenal’s first choice goalie.
Until, the infamous night at St. Mary’s happened when he was caught smoking in the shower and was demoted to being second choice since then.
David Ospina then rose to prominence. Arsene Wenger signed Petr Cech, and there was no option but to loan out the Polish shot-stopper, to Italian giants Roma.
Though he endured a tough start to his first season in Italy, he managed to rediscover his form that made him rise to no.1 at London, when Luciano Spaletti took charge from Rudi Garcia. The Polish stopper featured 42 times and held 9 clean sheets in competitions for the Seria A giants last season. It does not come off as a surprise that he is wanted by Roma for another season.
Whether Szczesny has an Arsenal future or not shall depend upon how fast Cech deteriorates with age and how impatient Ospina gets being a bench-warmer.
But from an Arsenal fan’s point of view, he should come back to Arsenal at the end of his second year at Italy. It is for the sole reason that good young goalies are hard to get considering the potential price tags and the ever inflating market.
Given Szczesny’s homegrown status, one who loves and is passionate about the club, it is possible that he sees his future as an Arsenal player, in spite of him making his respect for his Roma boss no secret, claiming a few weeks ago that he had learnt a lot more at Roma than at Arsenal.
Szczesny is undoubtedly above your average premier league short stoppers, in fact he is in many ways a very good goalkeeper. He is only 25 and has made already made 181 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions in the 6 seasons he has played for the North London side.
He is a young and talented goalie available already who wishes to play for the club, and he should be forgone. His poor decision making shall gradually improve upon with time.
