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Arsenal eye move for England star to replace want-away 28-year-old

By on May 18, 2017

According to the Mirror, Arsenal are eyeing a move for Stoke City’s Jack Butland as Arsene Wenger looks to replace want-away goalkeeper David Ospina.

The Colombian international has made it perfectly clear he wants to leave this summer after failing to hold down a regular first team place ahead of Petr Cech.

The 28-year-old has been used as our ‘cup keeper’ this season but that’s not enough for Ospina so he’ll be on the move this summer and it appears likely he’ll be heading to Turkey.

Ospina’s departure will leave a void needing to be filled in the goalkeeping department and some have suggested that Wojciech Szczesny will be that man as his loan at Roma is due to expire.

However, Szczesny has been impressing in Italy and I don’t see him coming back to sit on the bench so unless Wenger is ready to hand him the No.1 shirt, I think the Polish international will leave this summer.

So we’re likely to be in the market for a new keeper and the Mirror claim Wenger is keeping a close eye on Jack Butland ahead of a possible move over the coming months.

The 24-year-old recently returned from a year-long injury absence but Butland had developed in to one of the best keepers in the Premier League before he was sidelined.

We aren’t the only club showing an interest as the newspaper says Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City are also keen so we could face plenty of competition if we do end up making a move for the England international.

No doubt Wenger views Butland as the ideal long-term replacement for Cech but I actually think he’s ready to push the 34-year-old for the first team gloves right away.

READ: Arsenal plotting move for £30m midfielder

Cech has been in great form in recent weeks but he’s been fairly average overall this season so I’d love to see Butland come in and push him for the No.1 spot next season.

I’m also a huge fan of Szczesny and it looks like he’s matured while on loan but there are rumours he’ll refuse to stay if Wenger remains in charge so a keeper is going to be needed and Butland would be a superb addition.