Roma agree loan deal with Arsenal for goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is on his way to AS Roma on loan, The Guardian reports. Terms have been agreed between the two clubs with the Italian side paying €1 million for the Polish international’s services.
The Italian club have an option of buying the Polish international at the end of the loan spell for a fee of around £3.5 million. With Petr Cech’s arriving from Chelsea on a four-year contract, Szczesny understandably doesn’t see his long-term future at The Emirates.
Wenger had hinted after Cech’s transfer was completed, that either of his second choice goalkeepers in David Ospina or Szczesny could leave the club.
"We have to see if they're happy as well. We'll see what happens," Wenger said, according to Sky Sports.
Negotiations had been going on between Arsenal and Roma for quite some time and it seems the deal is going to go through after discussion over who would pay the wages was sorted out. It is understood that the Italian club would be paying the player’s full salary during his time in Rome.
Move away always on the cards
Szczesny’s situation at Arsenal has been in contention since the turn of the year ever since he was dropped from the team following a horrendous performance against Southampton on New Year’s day.
To make matters worse, he was caught smoking by manager Arsene Wenger in the showers after the game which led to him being dropped as the club’s No. 1 as well being slashed with a hefty fine.
David Ospina was preferred for the Premier League matches though the Polish international was persisted with in the FA Cup matches, a run which culminated with a triumph at Wembley against Aston Villa.
Szczesny had been Arsenal’s first-choice keeper from the 2010/11 season and any hopes of a return to normalcy all but vanished following Cech’s arrival. Following the development, Polish legend Jan Tomaszewski had urged his compatriot to leave the club with a view of saving his international career.
“He should leave because it will be a waste of time for him if he stays,” he said.
Szczesny arrived at Arsenal in 2006 as a teenager and has made 181 appearances for the senior team since his debut in 2009. His departure will leave Emi Martinez as the club’s No 3 keeper.