The availability of Petr Cech has become a top transfer story of the season with Jose Mourinho stating he will not stand in the way of the veteran goalkeeper should he decide to move on. Should Arsenal move for the Czech Republic international it would leave Arséne Wenger with a dilema, should one of the current 'keepers at the club be moved on if the Gunners do sign Cech?
Mourinho has made no secret that Cech will be made available this summer should he wish to move on from Stamford Bridge: “I will just wait", the Portuguese boss stated, "wishing his decision is to stay, but I don’t waste my time trying to persuade him."
The state of Arsenal's goalkeepers has never been one which has demonstrated confidence and security over the years, with the likes of Manuel Almunia and, as of late, Wojciech Szczęsny, making high key errors in the past leading to dropped points for the Gunners. The signing of Petr Cech is one that would send out a message to other teams in the Premier League, it would give Arsenal the security and experience at the back, something which has been missing since Jens Lehmann's departure. However, if Cech were to join Arsenal, one of the current shot-stoppers at the club would surely leave the club, but who would be the ill-fated 'keeper to be pushed towards the exit of the Emirates?
With the form of David Ospina, it is hard to see him being dropped at all, he has won 11 of his 13 League matches and has claimed seven clean sheets in the process, no goalkeeper has a better win ratio having played more than ten games than the Colombian. In contrast, Szczęsny's fall from grace occured in early 2015 after a disastrous 2-0 defeat away at Sounthampton for which Szczęsny was at fault for both goals. Szczęsny's form had been out of sorts leading up the game at St. Mary's, the Pole had only managed to keep three clean sheets in 17 Premier League games all season and his off-the-field antics only worsened his situation after he apparently got caught smoking in the showers after the Southampton game.
If Wenger had wanted to buy Cech he has shown no signs of it in his press conferences after publicly backing his current 'keeping duo: "Look, I believe in the goalkeepers I have. I believe that Szczesny is a very good goalkeeper and Ospina has come in and done a fantastic job. You look at the numbers in the Premier League and who is top of all the goalkeepers and you will see it is Ospina."
Judging by this quote it is plain to see that Ospina is now the number one at Arsenal in Wenger's eyes, however if Cech were to come to the club, would Ospina be satisfied with a position back on the bench having worked so hard to claim the number one shirt in the first place? Neither 'keeper would be happy being pushed one more spot down the pecking order, yet for Szczęsny it is a learning curve which, to be a world-class goalkeeper, he must follow. Ospina however is far more experienced and would most likely not settle being number two to Cech leaving Arsenal with the choice of letting go of experience, or a promising 'keeper whose career has been nurtured by the club,
In terms of being a top goalkeeper, Szczęsny is not quite tere yet and is still developing, and if Cech were to join the Gunners the Pole would learn a great deal from him, leaving Ospina out in the cold, and on the transfer list.