Arsenal Transfer News: Major Rumours on Arsene Wenger's Summer Targets

Arsenal are optimistic of being able to sign Petr Cech, if the Chelsea goalkeeper decides to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, writes Rob Draper of the Mail on Sunday.

Cech has been cast in the role of understudy at Chelsea this season after Thibaut Courtois returned from three years out on loan at Atletico Madrid. Cech has made just six appearances in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com, and has featured only 15 times in all competitions.

Jose Mourinho is willing to let Cech move in the summer, per Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph, but he has warned it will take big money to sign the Czech Republic international.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

The keeper, who turns 33 in May, has regularly been linked with Arsenal, although there has yet to be an official enquiry for Cech, per Draper, or Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, who is another reported target for Arsene Wenger.

Wenger has done his best to dampen rumours of a move for Cech by insisting he is happy to have David Ospina and Wojciech Szczesny his goalkeepers.

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

“I believe in the goalkeepers I have,” said Wenger, per Sky Sports. “I believe that Wojciech Szczesny is a very good goalkeeper and David Ospina has come in and done a fantastic job.”

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, though, expects Szczesny to be sold at the end of the season, per Carl Eldridge of the Daily Star. But Parlour doesn’t believe Cech will be the keeper to come in for Szczesny after Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas was linked with a move to Emirates Stadium, per Liam Corless of the Daily Mirror.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Parlour said: “I think Casillas would be a really good signing for Arsenal because of the wealth of experience he has from his time at Madrid. I don’t think Chelsea will let Petr Cech join them but I expect Szczesny to leave. I think Ospina will probably continue as second choice behind Casillas, should he come in.”

Another player to have been linked with a summer move to Arsenal is Barcelona’s teenage attacker Munir El Haddadi, per George Bellshaw of the Metro.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Arsenal reportedly want to sign El Haddadi on loan with a view to a permanent move, and the two clubs have been involved in regular transfer dealings in recent seasons, most notably when Alexis Sanchez left Barcelona for the Premier League last year.

El Haddadi has also been linked with Everton and West Ham, per Jamie Sanderson of the Metro, and has struggled to establish himself at Barcelona. This season, he has made just 10 appearances in La Liga, scoring once and providing one assist, per WhoScored.com.

He has the attributes to be an Arsenal player, as you can see in the video below, and he would provide cover amid concerns Sanchez could miss the start of next season due to the Chilean’s Copa America commitments, per the BBC.

El Haddadi doesn’t yet look to be at the level to be a regular in Arsenal’s team, but taking him on loan first would be sensible as it gives Wenger time to assess the player’s long-term potential.

As for Cech, Arsenal believe they would have a chance of signing him from Chelsea, per Draper, irrespective of the rivalry between the two clubs. If the opportunity to sign a player of Cech’s experience and calibre comes up at the right price, then Wenger must surely be tempted to make a bid.