Arsenal considering re-signing player who left the club in 2017 in shock summer transfer

Arsenal are weighing up a shock summer move for a player who left the club in 2017.

Mikel Arteta's side are currently locked in a close Premier League title race, but whatever happens between now and the final day, this summer promises to be a busy one at the Emirates Stadium.

A host of players are expected to leave Arsenal, the headline departure being Aaron Ramsdale.

The goalkeeper lost his starting role to loanee David Raya at the start of the season and is expected to leave in search of first-team football.

Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, James Hillson and Reiss Nelson could also leave the Emirates, meaning Arsenal won't just be short of a goalkeeper but homegrown players too.

Premier League rules state that each 25-man squad must contain a minimum of eight homegrown players.

A player is classed as homegrown if they were born in the United Kingdom, or if they joined a club at least three years before turning 21.

To in effect kill two birds with one stone, Arsenal are reportedly considering a move for former goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, as per The Standard.

The Polish shot-stopper came through the Arsenal academy and made 181 appearances for the Gunners before joining Juventus in 2017, so he would count as homegrown.

Arsenal are considering a move for Wojciech Szczesny.

The 34-year-old established himself as Juventus' number one after Gianluigi Buffon joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, and kept his place when the legendary goalkeeper returned a year later.

Szczesny is settled in Turin and still has one year remaining on his contract, but the Serie A giants plan to sell a goalkeeper this summer as they work to sign Michele Di Gregorio from Monza.

Arsenal could use the situation to their advantage, although Szczesny's reported £100,000-a-week wages after tax could prove to be a stumbling block.

It also remains to be seen whether or not he would be happy to play back-up to David Raya, whose loan Arsenal will make permanent this summer.

With Ramsdale heading for the exit, Arsenal are also eyeing up Brighton's Jason Steele and Diant Ramaj, both goalkeepers lauded for their ability with the ball at their feet.

The latter would not be considered homegrown, although the former would.

Topics: Arsenal, Transfer News, Premier League, Football, Juventus

Alex Brotherton

Alex Brotherton is a journalist at SPORTbible. He has previously worked with publications including the Manchester Evening News, GOAL and BBC Sport. He is a football fanatic, but also dabbles in tennis and American football. He can often be found watching dreadful non-league football.

@alex_brotherton