Being a back up goalkeeper will always be frustrating because you need something bad to happen just to get on the pitch, so a third choice stopper needs to accept that they are even more unlikely to play.
It’s common to see veterans taking a nice contract at a big club to give them some cover as their career winds down, but it’s probably not a great career move for someone in their prime.
Arsenal did need to do something about their goalkeeping situation after Emiliano Martinez left the club, but they didn’t go down the veteran route as they signed Runar Runarsson.
It’s an interesting move because he wasn’t always the first choice at Dijon, so it suggested that Mikel Arteta just wanted a safety net rather than someone to challenge Leno.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 1")
![[FILES] Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the English League Cup semi-final first leg football match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on January 13, 2022. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/000_9W63G7-897x598-1-120x86.jpg "Pochettino advised me not to go into coaching, says Arteta 3")
It even looked like the Icelandic international was signed to be the third choice keeper after The Express reported that they still wanted to add David Raya from Brentford, but that now looks impossible after he’s signed a new deal:
https://twitter.com/BrentfordFC/status/1311994347877957635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1311994347877957635%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.caughtoffside.com%2F2020%2F10%2F02%2Fdeal-signed-transfer-to-arsenal-now-looks-unlikely-as-target-signs-new-four-year-contract%2F
Arsenal’s website currently lists Matt Macey as a senior goalkeeping option so it looks like he’ll be part of the first team squad this season, while it’s likely the fans would rather the club spent money on someone who can help the first team rather than another backup.
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