What Arsenal thinks about keeping Neto as a backup for another season

Just Arsenal News

·11 février 2025

What Arsenal thinks about keeping Neto as a backup for another season

Arsenal signed Neto on loan from Bournemouth for the remainder of the season after failing in their pursuit of Joan Garcia from Espanyol. The Gunners had initially targeted Garcia as their preferred option but were unable to agree on a fee with the Spanish club. As a result, they turned to Neto as a short-term solution to provide goalkeeping depth.

The move came after Arsenal unexpectedly sold Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton late in the transfer window. With limited time to secure a replacement, they had to move quickly, but the decision to bring in Neto has proven to be an unusual one. In a surprising oversight, the club failed to consider that the Brazilian was cup-tied in the Carabao Cup, meaning he was ineligible to feature in the competition.

Vidéos OneFootball

This situation left David Raya as Arsenal’s only real option between the posts, forcing him to play more games than originally planned. While the club had hoped Neto could provide adequate backup and occasional rotation, their exit from domestic cup competitions has made his presence in the squad almost redundant.

Now, with Arsenal solely focused on the Premier League and Champions League, Neto may not play a single game for the club before his loan deal expires. Given Raya’s role as the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, and with no further cup matches to rotate in, Neto’s opportunities appear non-existent.

According to Football Insider, Arsenal have already decided against extending Neto’s stay beyond this season. The report states that the club sees no reason to keep the veteran goalkeeper and will instead look to sign a younger shot-stopper when the transfer window reopens.

It seems inevitable that Neto will return to Bournemouth at the end of the campaign, as his time in North London has been largely inconsequential. Even the player himself would not expect to remain with Arsenal beyond this season, given his lack of involvement.

This loan deal will likely go down as one of the more surprising short-term transfers Arsenal have made in recent years, with all parties now looking ahead to what comes next once the season concludes.

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