Arsenal have confirmed that goalkeeper Deyan Iliev has left the club after nine years.
The 26-year-old twice extended his contract since being signed by Arsene Wenger in 2012 but never played for the first team. He did make the bench a few times, including for the 2019 Europa League final.
The Macedonian has been on loan at Slovak side SKF Sered this season but in terminating his Gunners contract by mutual consent has also cut himself free of that arrangement to become a free agent.
A decade ago I came in as a boy and now I am leaving as a man. The place I call my home, the people I call my family.Thanks to everyone at the club for the opportunity and support. It was an honor working with the best staff and the best teammates. Once a gunner always a gunner pic.twitter.com/j6E36acgim
— Dejan Iliev (@ilievdejan) January 17, 2022
Iliev also spent short spells with Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok and League Two Shrewsbury.
Not many players stick around for so long without tasting any action, in that respect, his case is definitely an odd one.
Anyway, all the best to Deyan. Hopefully, he finds a new club soon.
Wow that 9 years went quick. I thought he was still only about 22-23. Definitely was time to move on for him then. Good luck to him
He was so close to a testimonial.
I mean he probably deserves a debut/testimonial combo match at this point.
think of it, This would have being martinez story as well if maupay-leno did not happen.
I believe his contract was extended (at least that one time) because he was out with a long term injury, and the club did the classy thing in extending.
That’s a nice story, but not accurate.
He signed a new contract in March 2015, and suffered his two-year injury in May 2015.
I’ve said it before, I be-Iliev he just needs to keep working hard Deyan dayout.
Best of luck.
This is a strong effort.
I know we can’t predict the future of a young player, but I’d love to know what kept him with us for so long without actually playing
He’s just joined Emi Martinez’s WhatsApp group to discuss how under-valued he was for 9 years
Here’s wishing you all the best, Iliev. Soar to greater heights.
Better than Runarsson, surely?
Maybe, but his loan at Shrewsbury went very badly, and his last appearance coincided with the sacking of their manager. He seemed a good shot stopper though, but probably lacked match experience due to limited game time at Arsenal. He may well kick on if he is the main man somewhere.
All the best to him!