According to several reports, goalkeeper Matt Turner will be making the move from New England to Old England in the summer when he joins American-owned Arsenal FC.
The move to Arsenal has been heavily rumored for the last week, after initially being reported by former New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman. More recently, this was given further credence by Turner’s coach in New England, Bruce Arena.
During an interview with a Boston radio station on Thursday, Arena said, “the likelihood of [a transfer] happening is pretty strong.”
The New Jersey native joined the Revolution in 2016 from Jersey Express, a now defunct fourth tier division team back in 2016, after learning unter the tutelage of Brad Friedel. He later took the #1 shirt and impressed Gregg Berhalter enough to earn 14 caps to date, including for the duration of the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup where the USA beat Mexico in the final last summer.
The finalized deal was leaked by Twelmann just hours before Turner took the nets for the USMNT against El Salvador, where he earned a shut-out in the 1-0 victory.
Terms of the deal were reported shortly afterwards, indicating the likelihood of a delayed arrival, which will leave Turner at New England for the beginning of the MLS season.
He is expected to arrive in the summer as current Arsenal back-up keeper Bernd Leno has stated that he wished to leave amid interest from Newcastle United. Earlier this season, the German was replaced by Aaron Ramsdale after a few shaky performances.
The American will fight it out in the summer with the England international to see who will likely remain Mike Arteta’s go-to goalkeeper. It will be a mammoth task as the former Sheffield United keeper, who arrived at the Emirates last summer, has impressed thus far.
With the FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in Qatar at the end of 2022, Yanks Abroad have questioned Turner moving away from a guaranteed starting job in MLS as he is still just considered a back-up option to Berhalter’s preferred keeper, Zack Steffen.
American owned Arsenal FC are expected to pay an initial fee of more than $6 million for the 6’3” keeper although with add-ons the overall price can rise to $10 million.
Turner will be in action again on Sunday when the USA travels to take on Canada in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier action.
