Arsenal Transfer News: Alban Lafont Rumours Emerge as David Ospina Hints at Exit

Toulouse goalkeeper Alban Lafont has talked up his chances of a potential move to Arsenal after admitting he'd like to join the north Londoners, while David Ospina has suggested he could be heading for the exit door.

Goal's Robin Bairner provided quotes from Lafont, who told French broadcaster SFR Sport of his admiration for the Gunners:

The recently turned 19-year-old is largely considered to be one of the brightest prospects in France and indeed Europe as a whole, having made his Ligue 1 debut in November 2015, when he was just 16.

Since then, the teenager has gone on to earn considerable experience as a starting regular for Toulouse, and Football Talent Scout recently posted some of his credentials, pointing to a player beyond his years:

"

19-year-old Alban Lafont all-time career stats for @ToulouseFC:

91 games
109 goals conceded
30 clean sheets

Amazing stats for a teenage goalkeeper. pic.twitter.com/cbNH69tWNl

— FootballTalentScout (@FTalentScout) February 11, 2018"

And it so happens Arsenal could be forced to search for goalkeeping recruits after Ospina admitted some frustrations at being No. 2 to Petr Cech at the Emirates Stadium.

Ospina will start in Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, as he has throughout the tournament, but he refused to rule out a departure when speaking to DIRECTV (h/t Daily Mirror's John Cross):

“I am open to everything. Today I give everything for Arsenal, I like to be successful here, but you start to contemplate every alternative depending on each situation.

“I still have a contract, but as I say, I always like to have more opportunities, to have more continuity in the squad as every goalkeeper needs.

“Today, I am sharing my position with an excellent goalkeeper in Petr, but he knows that I like to play and I know he likes to keep playing, we have this competition between us, I just like to have continuity, I will think about the future at another moment."

The Colombia international hardly came across as committed in his response, although he did go on to describe it as a "dream" representing the Gunners and reiterated it would be ideal to succeed as No. 1 in north London.

However, manager Arsene Wenger will also have the squad's future in mind. Cech will turn 36 in May and has a little less than 18 months left to run on his contract, with no assurances over whether he'll pen new terms.

Wenger could still opt to promote 29-year-old Ospina to first choice in future, having recently insisted he has "two world-class goalkeepers" at his disposal, via Simon Collings of Hayters:

Lafont has steadily been grabbing headlines as a prodigious talent in Ligue 1, and he's kept 10 clean sheets in 26 league fixtures this season, having yet to miss a minute of Toulouse's campaign as of yet.

His admiration of Arsenal can only enhance his chances of completing a move to the club in future, and football writer Dan Levy agreed a new stopper is needed at the Emirates:

Lafont fits Wenger's transfer profile in several ways considering he's young and already possesses ample senior experience, although for that reason it's unlikely Toulouse will let him go cheaply.

The two parties could be a match made in heaven should the Gunners decide this is the time to invest in a new 'keeper, with Arsenal sure to take heed of Lafont's preference for their colours.