After Arsenal fail with a bid for Cardiff keeper Marshall, we identify five better options for Wenger’s men.
It was reported by The Express earlier this week that Cardiff City had rejected a £6m bid from Arsenal for Scottish goalkeeper David Marshall.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is keen to recruit a new stopper this summer, as, following the departure of Lukasz Fabianski on a free transfer, Wojciech Szczesny is the only recognised keeper at the Emirates Stadium.
We have listed five players that Arsenal could go for that would be better options than Marshall.
Petr Cech
The 32-year-old is expected to lose his starting place at Chelsea to young Belgian Thibaut Courtois next season.
Cech is too good to be second choice for anyone and will surely not be happy to warm the Stamford Bridge bench.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal were interested in Cech last year. Surely Wenger would pounce if he became available this summer?
Experience is one of the most important qualities any keeper can posses and Casillas has it in abundance.
The 33-year-old has won five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues with Real Madrid, as well as two European Championships and one World Cup with Spain.
Spanish newspaper AS claim that the Gunners could move for Casillas in the coming weeks.
Asmir Begovic
The big Bosnian, who will represent his country at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil, has consistently been among Stoke City’s best players for the past four seasons.
He is 26 – two years older than Szczesny – but he would certainly keep the Pole on his toes and would have no problem replacing the Gunners number one should he slip up.
The Metro reported last month that Arsenal were in talks with Stoke regarding a potential £8m move for Begovic.
France number one Lloris is a world class goalkeeper and Arsenal were linked with him throughout his time at Lyon.
However, to many people’s surprise, North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur snapped him up in August 2012.
Lloris, 27, has been impressive during his two seasons in England, but Spurs seem much further away from achieving Champions League qualification than they were when he first arrived at White Hart Lane.
Earlier this year, The Telegraph quoted Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud as saying that Lloris “would quite like to” join the Gunners.
Although he is not as good as Lloris, fellow Frenchman Ruffier is a very capable keeper and he will go the World Cup as an understudy to the Spurs stopper.
Ruffier’s Saint-Etienne kept 16 Ligue 1 clean sheets this season.
The 27-year-old, is reportedly wanted by a host of clubs, including Napoli, Roma, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, but Arsenal are leading the race for his signature, according to the Daily Star.
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