Arsenal are set to allow goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to join AS Roma on a season-long loan deal in the current transfer window. The Poland international spent the 2015-16 campaign on loan with the Serie A giants and returned to the Emirates stadium earlier this summer.
Arsene Wenger has the services of Petr Cech and David Ospina as the two first choice shot-stoppers. The arrival of the former Chelsea star saw Wenger allow Szczesny to leave the club on loan last term. The Pole is unlikely to challenge either of the two for a first-team spot this season.
According to the Daily Mail, the Gunners manager will allow the 26-year-old to join the Italian club on loan with a view of signing him on a permanent transfer for a fee of £13.4m ($17.7m) next summer. He had been a regular for Roma last season, making 42 appearances in all competitions.
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Szczesny was a part of the Poland squad in the UEFA Euro 2016 and following his national side’s exit from the European championship, he admitted that he is unsure if he still featured in Wenger’s plan for the upcoming season and beyond.
"I'd love to know [where I'll be playing]. I really don't know. For now, I was focused on the Euros, I tried to recover from my injury. Unfortunately, it didn't happen in time but now I have time to relax, for holidays and maybe think about my future," the stopper said.
The Polish shot-stopper even admitted that he would prefer to continue with Roma after an impressive campaign with them.
"I would love to stay but it is an issue that unfortunately I cannot decide myself. The two clubs [Arsenal and Roma] are in discussions. Let's see what will happen. I'm happy to have helped the team and winning the title must be the next objective for this club," Szczesny said.
Roma had signed a pre-contract agreement with Brazilian keeper Alisson Becker in February. He completed his move to the Italian capital club earlier this summer and now joins 38-year-old Bogdan Lobont as the two goalkeepers at the club. Despite having the duo, the Giallorossi are still looking to bring Szczesny to Stadio Olimpico, as per manager Luciano Spalletti.
"Both the goalkeepers [Alisson and Lobont] are strong, but we still don't have Szczesny," Spalletti explained.
"We have two strong goalkeepers, so we'll see their reaction but that's always an advantage. We're working on Szczesny, for now, we have Lobont.”
