Reports have emerged this morning suggesting that Arsenal will complete the signing of QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar after Sunday’s Confederations Cup final.
Apparently some form of talks have already taken place and Arsenal have had scouts watching him at the Confederations Cup (the most useless tournament in existence?)
According to the main report from the Daily Mail (read into that what you will) Cesar is happy in London and will look to have his £70,000 wages matched by Arsenal which apparently won’t be a problem (but in itself is a bit ironic given the second half of the story from the Mail about wages and Fellaini / Williams…..but anyway……)
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that Arsenal are on the hunt for a goalkeeper. Fabianski’s future is uncertain and Mannone should soon be moving to Sunderland - so bringing in some experienced competition for Wojciech Szczesny will be high up the priority list this Summer. Cesar fits the bill. Cheap (a price that Wenger likes), actually experienced (instead of just being an older keeper that has played 2nd fiddle to someone else for the majority of his career) and experienced in the Premiership (with very few “Premiership’s worst goalkeeping blooper moments” to his name). It has long been said that Wenger’s main weakness is that he can’t spot a goalkeeper. In this case there isn’t much spotting to do as it has already been done.
I’d be very surprised if this transfer didn’t go through but a potential hiccup could come in the form of possible interest from other clubs (Roma for instance). Cesar wouldn’t be a guaranteed first choice at Arsenal. Other clubs could offer him that security. But despite of that – I still think it will go through.
What I will say though is that if Arsenal don’t get Cesar I don’t expect them to move for Reina. They will move for a keeper – but I think that Wenger could well look to continue building the British contingent at the club.
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