Arsenal Keeping a Close Eye on the Future of Barcelona Goalkeeper Neto

According to reports, Arsenal are monitoring the situation of Barcelona keeper Murara Neto. The Gunners are looking for a backup goalkeeper for Aaron Ramsdale as Bernd Leno is likely to leave Arsenal this summer with the likes of Benfica being interested in his services, the second goalkeeper spot is up for contention.

Neto signed for Barcelona in the summer of 2019 from Valencia in a deal that saw Jasper Cillessen make the switch to the Mestalla. However, the former Juventus goalkeeper has had to play backup to Marc-Andre Ter Stegen throughout his three-year spell at Camp Nou. His best performance in a Barcelona jersey came against Inter Milan in the Champions League where he was the Player of the Match with seven saves.

Neto, Arsenal — Image Obtained via Barca Blaugranes

According to Goal Brazil (via The Mirror), Arsenal are interested in the services of Neto and are keeping a close eye on his future. The Gunners have been tracking the Barcelona shot-stopper since last season, when they wanted to add a new keeper to their squad, but signed Aaron Ramsdale instead.

Moreover, according to Mundo Deportivo (via Football Espana), the 32-year-old has expressed his desire to leave Camp Nou this summer. The Catalan giants would be willing to sell the player, given their terrible financial situation and need to generate revenue.

The Brazilian keeper has only a year left in his current contract with the Blaugrana. Therefore, the North London side would not have to fork a considerable amount to bring Neto to the Emirates Stadium.

Player Profile

Neto has been playing in Europe since 2011 when he joined Fiorentina. He spent four years in Florence before signing for Italian giants Juventus. He was a backup for the world-class Gianluigi Buffon. An opportunity to start afresh presented itself in 2017 when Valencia came calling. He made 80 appearances for the Spanish team and earned his first cap with Brazil (stats via Transfermarkt).

The Brazilian made 47 appearances across all competitions in his last season at Valencia, keeping 10 clean sheets in La Liga to help them finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League. He was snapped up by Barcelona, but since then has only played 20 games for the club after being benched by Ter Stegen.

Barcelona backup 'keeper Neto has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp and Arsenal are reportedly 'monitoring' his situation. 👀

It looks likely that Leno will be leaving this summer. Would you want to see Neto brought in as his replacement? 🔁#AFC #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/8eULz8LpoU

— AbujaBoi 🧘🏽‍♂️🇳🇬🇨🇦 (@Ebube_jnr0) June 3, 2022

The few opportunities Neto managed to get in the Barcelona shirt resulted in below-par performances, subjecting him to more misery and more time spent on the bench. He was at fault in big games against Atletico Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt.

With no approach being made by Xavi Hernandez to involve him in his first-team plans, he would now be looking at a new club for more game time. West Ham are one club interested in signing the keeper, especially with European football commitment next season and the injury concerns with Lukasz Fabianski. He is a tall lad with excellent agility and good shot-stopping prowess which gives strikers very little to shoot at.

Verdict

The 32-year-old has been linked with a switch to the Premier League on a number of occasions in the past though, with the likes of Everton and Chelsea having emerged as potential suitors. The former Valencia and Juventus man wants to leave the Camp Nou in the coming months in an effort to earn more playing time.

Managers generally do not rotate the keepers, making it difficult for Neto to get enough minutes at Arsenal because of the presence of a young Ramsdale. He might be limited to games in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup if he made the switch to Emirates.

A better move would be to a mid-table club or a club like West Ham fighting for a Champions League/Europa League spot to establish his reputation. Whilst the goalkeeping department could need strengthening this summer, Arsenal remain in the market for additions in other positions. A striker and central midfielder are the priority for Mikel Arteta, with Youri Tielemans and Gabriel Jesus having emerged as prime targets for the Gunners’ boss.

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