As recently as February Arsene Wenger made the highly debatable claim of Arsenal being able to boast three ‘world-class’ goalkeepers, including third choice Emiliano Martinez.
Most Gooners were expecting the Argentine to earn a promotion this season following Wojciech Szczesny’s permanent move to Juventus and David Ospina attracting serious interest from Fenerbahce.
‘I have three world-class goalkeepers and I am very happy with the three I have,’ said Wenger earlier this year amid speculation he was set to make a move for Joe Hart, who has subsequently joined West Ham on loan.
‘He’s a player with, first of all, top quality. Basic qualities for a goalkeeper, he has the size, the power, the technical level because he has worked with us for a long time now.
‘But as well he has that kind of mental confidence and security that he gives out when he’s in goal that makes you think ‘it’s normal that I’m in goal, it’s normal that I’m here. I’m not intermittent; I’m here to stay here.
‘He gives a kind of security that’s very positive.’
Wenger was again full of praise for Martinez after his penalty-saving exploits during a shootout win over Bayern Munich last month in Shanghai, so it came as a shock when Arsenal announced on Wednesday that the 24-year-old was to join Getafe on a season-long loan.
With Petr Cech turning 36 next year and Ospina regularly failing to inspire any form of confidence, Arsenal fans are questioning their manager’s judgement yet again…
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