German goalkeeper Bernd Leno will leave Arsenal on a free transfer next summer.
Leno is into the final year of his contract at the Emirates, and ahs given no indication that he intends to sign an extension. At the start of the summer, he gave an interview in which he made it clear that he was open to a new challenge, although he was not intent on leaving the North London club in the future.
However, the club have now future-proofed themselves against his departure by signing Aaron Ramsdale, who has made it quite clear that he wants to compete for Leno’s jersey this season.
Inter Milan are reported already to be interested in the German international, with the current incumbent in goal Samil Handanović just turned 37 years old.
Arsenal fans will have mixed feelings about the news. Although a fine shot stopper, Leno made a number of high profile errors last season, and he has proved fallible playing out from the back, and with the ball at his feet.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.