Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Should Let Lukasz Fabianski Move This January

Wait. Lukasz Fabianski is still an Arsenal player?

It may not be the case for much longer. John Cross of the Daily Mirror is reporting the Polish goalkeeper is angling for a move away from the Emirates:

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Fabianski, 28, is out of contract next summer and is growing frustrated at being a back-up to Wojciech Szczesny who is his main rival for club and country.

Schalke want a new No1 and see Fabianski as the perfect solution - and might be able to get him on the cheap with his contract running down.

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Per Cross, Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has already said, "Lukasz told me recently that he wants to change clubs."

Before this season, maybe you could argue that there was a place at Arsenal for Fabianski. Wojciech Szczesny was struggling for form, and his Polish counterpart was the best replacement the Gunners had. Plus, you want to have some security in case your starting keeper picks up an injury or you want to give him a break in the FA Cup, Capital One Cup or possibly even the Champions League.

However, Szczesny has been very good this season and looks to have moved beyond whatever confidence problems affected his performance last year. In addition, Emiliano Viviano is there to provide any sort of cover.

There's no real need to keep a 28-year-old second-choice goalkeeper around if there's interest in him from another club.

Since Fabianski's contract is up at the end of this season, he could sign a pre-contract agreement with Schalke in January and then leave Arsenal for free during the summer.

It may not come to that.

Considering he's only had two appearances this season, both of which came in the Capital One Cup, Fabianski may want to move as soon as possible in order to get first-team football. Although he's not good enough to start for Arsenal, he can be a first-choice goalkeeper for other European squads.

Also, unlike Nicklas Bendtner, Fabianski may be more welcoming to a cut in wages in order to push a move through.

Schalke may also be wiling to buy Fabianski in January, rather than waiting until the summer. Timo Hildebrand and Ralf Fahrmann have been awful this year, and the team has conceded 28 goals in 15 matches.

Despite that poor defensive record, Schalke remain fifth in the Bundesliga. In order to get into the top four and qualify for the Champions League, an upgrade at goalkeeper is necessary.

The reality is, Fabianski doesn't have any future at Arsenal. Although Viviano is only at the club on a loan deal, there's little chance Fabianski will have any confidence that his role will grow beyond being Szczesny's backup.

He's not going to sign an extension with the club, nor should Arsenal be dying to extend him beyond this season.

The Gunners may as well try to get something for Fabianski before he leaves on a free in the summer.