New England Revolution have confirmed on Friday that goalkeeper Matt Turner is set to join Arsenal on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022.
Since 2018, Turner has been a mainstay in the Revs’ lineup, racking up 106 appearances for the club. He was named MLS Goalkeeper of the year in 2021, a campaign in which he was also named the MVP of the MLS All-Star Game.
The shot-stopper’s impressive performances earned him a call-up to the US national team in 2021. He now has 16 USA caps to his name and has kept 11 clean sheets in the process.
Several reports suggest that the transfer could be worth as much as €10m including the add-ons. Following the official announcement, the 27-year-old broke his silence to share his thoughts on the move.
He has admitted that this is a challenging transfer and despite the hurdles, he is keen on achieving great things in north London. According to Express, he said:
“I always want to be able to challenge myself at the highest level I possibly can. It’s been tough for goalkeepers to get moves. So I understand, I’m 27 and it’s something that I really want to do and really want to accomplish.”
“At the same time, going into a World Cup year, you have to play smart. Going overseas and getting into a situation where maybe I’m not playing, or maybe I don’t adapt well to being in a foreign country before a World Cup might be challenging.”
“There’s a lot of things I can take from [the U.S.] and apply with the Revolution for the rest of 2022, and then going into a World Cup, after a World Cup, we can revisit. But next 12 months, next four months, next whatever, if it makes sense I would love to.”
Arsenal Fever View:
Turner is expected to provide backup and competition to Aaron Ramsdale in between the sticks. He will be replacing Bernd Leno, who is likely to leave the club at the end of this campaign.
The US international is an agile shot-stopper with quick reflexes and exemplary positioning. He is also a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta’s philosophy of playing out from the back as he is comfortable with the ball at his feet. The Gunners have pulled off a good deal that could pay dividends in the future.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are just two points off the fourth-placed West Ham with three games in hand. They have a great chance of securing a top-four spot and could benefit from not having any other commitments for the remainder of the campaign. Arteta and his men have it at all to play for in the coming weeks.
Read More: ‘He is maturing’ – Mikel Arteta speaks out on Sambi Lokonga develpoment
