Arsenal are on the verge of signing Dijon goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson who is set to be their backup stopper with Emiliano Martinez linked with an exit, according to 90MIN.
Martinez was brilliant for the Gunners towards the end of last campaign, however, he reportedly made it clear that he didn’t want to stay with the club unless he gets first-team football. But with Bernd Leno as the preferred keeper for Mikel Arteta, the Argentine is close to an Aston Villa switch.
The report further says that Arteta wanted to bring the Brentford player David Raya as a replacement and even began talks for a deal. But the Championship side had already lost Ollie Watkins and with the future of Said Benrahma also uncertain, they were not ready to sell Raya too unless a huge offer arrives for the player.
The Gunners don’t want to splash a big sum on a stopper who will likely warm the bench mostly, and now, according to the Evening Standard, they have shifted their attention to Runarsson. It is suggested that the Icelandic footballer could be available for around £1.5 million.
Alex started his career at KR Reykjavík and later joined FC Nordsjælland where he clocked up 62 appearances in all competitions for the Danish side, having 11 clean sheets to his name.
The 25-year-old landed a move to the Ligue 1 side Dijon in the summer of 2018 and has so far made 45 total appearances for the French outfit. He has also earned five caps for Iceland, with the keeper named in the national squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
