Arsenal reignite interest in Barcelona goalkeeper Neto
By Tom Gott
Arsenal have reignited their interest in Barcelona goalkeeper Neto as they prepare to shake up their goalkeeper options this summer.
Current first-choice stopper Bernd Leno has been tipped to leave the club after failing to completely win over Mikel Arteta, with scouts looking at a whole host of potential replacements for the 29-year-old German.
Ajax's Andre Onana was an early target and Sheffield United's Aaron Ramsdale has recently been added to the shortlist.
Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, talks are being held with Barcelona over a deal to sign Neto, who they unsuccessfully tried to sign in January. The 31-year-old has wanted to leave Camp Nou for a while after struggling for minutes, but Barcelona weren't having it back then.
Now, however, things have changed. Barcelona are on a cost-cutting mission and are willing to offload Neto, who is one of the highest-earning backup goalkeepers around, and Arsenal are keen to finally take advantage of that.
Neto's arrival could coincide with the departure of Iceland international Alex Runarsson. As first revealed by Ege Engin, the 26-year-old is set to join Turkish side Altay Spor, bringing an end to his disappointing 12 months at the Emirates.
Runarsson has managed just six appearances for Arsenal and actually racked up three clean sheets, but his legacy will be a catastrophic showing in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.
He didn't exactly cover himself in glory in the 4-1 mauling by dropping the ball over the line from a Riyad Mahrez free-kick - a mistake which prompted so much online abuse that Runarsson actually deleted his Twitter page.
Neto would be a replacement for Leno, rather than Runarsson, meaning Arsenal would still have to find themselves a new backup stopper.
That's unlikely to be Mat Ryan, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the Emirates, as the Brighton man is expected to join Real Sociedad.