Despite Mikel Arteta signing players in the calibre of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard in recent seasons for Arsenal, it has arguably been the capture of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale which has proved to be the most integral, especially in terms of long-term stability.
He joined in 2021 from Sheffield United for a fee that could potentially rise to £30m and so far, it has been a worthy investment.
This season, the Englishman has kept 12 clean sheets from 30 Premier League matches and makes 2.5 saves per game – at a success rate of 75% – suggesting he is in top form as the club chase the title.
Only last weekend did the England star showcase his importance to the club, making two miraculous last-gasp saves against Liverpool to deny Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate from scoring a winner.
If Ramsdale gets injured, however, Arteta’s options aren’t too appealing with Matt Turner struggling for game time.
The sale of Bernd Leno, therefore, particularly for such a low price has to be questioned a tad.
How much did Bernd Leno cost Arsenal?
The German ‘keeper was signed by Unai Emery for a fee of £19.2m with the new manager looking to assert his own stamp on the team.
He became the first choice between the posts at the club over the next three seasons, keeping 34 clean sheets across 117 appearances in what was a transitional period for the Gunners.
When Ramsdale joined in 2021, his opportunities grew less frequent, making just eight appearances across all competitions that term, and it was clear he wasn’t going to be the main choice for the 41-year-old heading forward.
The 31-year-old subsequently moved to Fulham for just an initial £3m, which was a significant loss for the club. They will, at least, make another £2m after Fulham stay up but just how the Cottagers managed to prise him away at such a low cost is remarkable.
On his departure, the former Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper was praised by writer Jason Soutar, saying: “Bernd Leno was actually class on his day and a wonderful servant to the club. I’ll never forget his double save against Spurs and that save against Lukaku last season.”
This high praise perhaps suggests Arteta suffered a howler by not only letting him go too quickly but also for such a small fee.
Of course, Ramsdale is doing extremely well for the north Londoners and this is unlikely to change, however losing money on players is not something Arteta wants to make a regular habit.
Leno has found a new lease of life at Craven Cottage this term, making 28 appearances in all competitions and with their solid Premier League showing, it proves that he still has what it takes to succeed.