Arsenal eyeing 25-year-old German goalkeeper as long-term replacement for Petr Cech

Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Marc-Andre ter Stegen

According to Don Balon via talkSPORT, Arsenal could replace Petr Cech with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The Gunners are believed to be searching for a new shot-stopper, but Barcelona are likely to resist such interest which could prove a stumbling block.

Ter Stegen arrived at the Camp Nou in 2014 from German Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, for around £10m.  His value is more than twice that figure now, although the report states that Arsenal may struggle to convince Barca into accepting any bid.

The 25-year-old has become the side’s first-choice between the sticks, after Manchester City signed Claudio Bravo in 2016, making 36 La Liga appearances last season, keeping 13 clean sheets in the process. This campaign, ter Stegen has made seven clean sheets in 10 league games and finds his stock at an all-time high.

He’s won two La Liga titles and a Champions League with Barcelona, and Arsenal are reportedly very keen to bring him to England as a result. However, it’s hard to see what the selling club would gain from such a deal. It’s also hard to see why ter Stegen would want to leave Barcelona after such success as a number one.

Cech has struggled for form since his 2015 move from Chelsea, and at the age of 35, it’s unknown how many more seasons he has at the top level for Arsenal. The Gunners have been linked with a other long-term replacements in recent months as a result, but ter Stegen might be the most difficult to acquire.

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