Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno is reportedly in talks with Arsenal after his agent admitted interest after exiting negotiations with Napoli.
Arsenal are set for a revamp in the summer and will look to build a competitive squad ahead of next season. With the overhaul set to start from the goalkeeping position, the talk of a move for Bernd Leno is gaining momentum after his agent refused a move to Napoli.
Bild reports that Leno’s agent walked away from talks with Napoli recently and admitted of interest from clubs he considers better than the Serie A giants. Napoli have been looking for a replacement for Pepe Reina who is reportedly closing in on a move to AC Milan.
Leno has been a mainstay at Leverkusen, and there is great interest in the Germany International, considering he could be available for €25 million, thanks to the release clause in his contract which runs up to 2020. Leno and his agent have however set their sights on one of the biggest clubs around and duly rejected Napoli.
Arsenal’s desire to peep into the market for a well-established goalkeeper is no secret, as the club looks to replace the ageing Petr Cech as well as moving out David Ospina in the close season. There have been interest in other candidates from various clubs, but Sven Mislintat is reportedly favouring a move for Leno.
One aspect of this interest is Leno’s vast experience in Germany, European competitions as well as International football. On the other hand, a Jan Oblak, for instance, will reportedly cost a whopping €100 million while Bernd Leno is available for a fraction compared to that, at €25 million.
There has been intense interest in the shot-stopper since January, as it was somewhat transparent he would look for a new challenge after the season, especially if Leverkusen fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.
There has been significant interest from Arsenal to replace Petr Cech, as well as rumored interest from Real Madrid who might be looking to replace Keylor Navas with him in the summer.
Leno and his agent are reportedly interested in a move to either Spain or England, as it is claimed that Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are the front-runners for his signature, should he depart. Leno over the years, has developed into one of Germany’s best goalkeepers and has a contract with Leverkusen till 2020.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will appoint a new manager in the summer after Arsene Wenger departs and there were reports post his announcement that there will be significantly fewer funds available for the new manager to spend. Leno, in that aspect, sounds like a great signing and value for money.
In the end, it will be interesting to see who wins the race to sign the German keeper, with Arsenal and Atletico Madrid clamouring to reinforce their respective glove department.
