Arsenal fans had hoped for a summer full of experienced stars joining the club, in an attempt to boost our title chances. However once again whilst all our rivals spend to strengthen, Arsenal have largely waited in the wings.
It’s become a common understanding that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger favours youth over experience when it comes to signing players and although the transfer window started off brightly with the signing of Granit Xhaka, the Gunners have since had no real luck in obtaining their targets.
Arsenal fans would’ve hoped that young Japanese striker Takuma Asano, would’ve been Wenger’s only youthful summer signing. However it looks quite possible that Le Prof is looking to sign yet another player for the future, this time in the form of a young Dutchman named Guy Smit.
Smit is a 20 year old goalkeeper who is currently without a team since being out of contract at Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen. It is unsure whether Smit rejected another contract with the Dutch side or if he was released by the club. Either way Smit is regarded as a promising talent which has led to Wenger offering the goalkeeper a two week long trial with Arsenal.
Whilst we will have to wait and see if Smit makes such an impression at Arsenal that he is rewarded with a contract, if he does sign then it raises questions about our current crop of young goalkeepers. Szczesny and Ospina may be battling for that second spot, but after that we have a whole range of keepers to choose from including Martinez, Huddart, Macey and Iliev. These players seem stuck in limbo at Arsenal and so it remains up for debate if firstly whether Smit is any better than these guys of if not and whether he will just join them rotting in the reserves or out on loan?
By AH