6 months ago
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Tony MoganPublished May 22, 2024, 10:09am|Updated May 22, 2024, 10:10am
Arsenal will rival Liverpool to sign Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow this summer, according to reports.
The Gunners will complete the permanent transfer of David Raya from Brentford in the coming weeks following his loan deal this season with Aaron Ramsdale’s future likely to lie away from north London.
Reports last week claimed Newcastle United have made an opening offer for Ramsdale, who was named in England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad yesterday.
His departure will leave Mikel Arteta needing an alternative option in goal with De Telegraaf reporting the Gunners want Feyenoord’s Bijlow to come in and compete with Raya for the no1 spot.
Albert Stuivenberg, Arteta’s right-hand man at the Emirates, regards Bijlow as a goalkeeper who ‘fits perfectly’ with the Gunners’ current system.
Liverpool however are also in the race to sign the 26-year-old who has played under the new Reds boss Arne Slot for the past three seasons.
While Slot will have plenty of faith in Bijlow’s abilities, Liverpool’s interest in the goalkeeper predates the new head coach’s arrival on Merseyside, having scouted him during Feyenoord’s Champions League matches this season.
Alisson Becker is Liverpool’s undisputed no1 with links with Bijlow casting doubt on the future of Caoimhin Kelleher. The 25-year-old Ireland international has been one of the Premier League’s most reliable no2s for a number of years but is reportedly keen on a fresh challenge.
Manchester United were interested in signing Bijlow last summer and were reportedly quoted £25million for his services.
De Telegraaf report his price is now ‘significantly lower’.
Bijlow has picked up a number of injuries in recent years, missing nine games with a wrist injury during the first half of the campaign, ruled out for another 13 with a calf problem up until April.
Last season, he also missed a chunk of the campaign with a wrist problem having also undergone foot surgery at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The report claims Arsenal and Liverpool are both aware of those problems but remain interested in bringing him to the Premier League.
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