- Arsenal plot swoop to sign Chelsea forward Noni Madueke
- Arsenal and Man City battle for Porto’s Martim Fernandes
- Arsenal plot move for Real Madrid star Camavinga
- Arsenal keen on move for Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi
- Arsenal step up interest in Ajax star Jorrel Hato
- Arsenal eye Brentford star as Partey replacement
- Arsenal complete paper works to sign Martin Zubimendi
- Arsenal make contact to sign PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery
- Arsenal step up efforts to sign Hato ahead of Chelsea
- Arsenal move to sign free agent winger Emmanuel Rao
Confirmed: Arsenal have a new No.1 + positive news on Bellerin
Arsenal have a new No.1 after the club confirmed on Arsenal.com that Petr Cech has taken the shirt number for next season while Hector Bellerin has also moved to No.2.
Cech has worn the No.33 since his arrival from Chelsea in 2015 but he’s taken the No.1 shirt for the 2018/19 campaign after it became vacant following Szczesny’s move to Juventus last summer.
This switch is curious as many assumed Arsenal would sign a new goalkeeper this summer and hand him the No.1 shirt as Cech’s form was worryingly poor last season. Let’s hope this doesn’t lead to Arsenal NOT buying a new keeper this summer as it’s a position we desperately need to improve.
However, it’s great to see Bellerin take the No.2 shirt – which was vacated by Mathieu Debuchy in January – as it strongly suggests Hector will be staying this summer.
Bellerin has been linked with a move away from the club this summer but if there were any foundation to the rumours then he probably wouldn’t have decided to switch numbers.
Elsewhere, it’s also been confirmed that Granit Xhaka has changed from No.29 to his preferred No.34 shirt while Mohamed Elneny has taken Per Mertesacker’s No.4 shirt.
This one is also a concern as we desperately need a top class central midfielder and it would have been nice to see the new man take the No.4 shirt.
Elneny is a nice bloke and a dependable player but he doesn’t deserve the No.4 shirt at Arsenal. Again, let’s pray this doesn’t suggest we aren’t in the market for a new midfielder this summer.
We've got a new No 1️⃣ – and it's @PetrCech pic.twitter.com/fzZqoCJJ7H
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) May 21, 2018