According to The Athletic, Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Wolves goalkeeper Dan Bentley by tabling an opening bid for the 30-year-old.
While the Molineux outfit rejected the offer, it’s expected that the Gunners will push for the player as they are keen to include him in their squad for the upcoming tour of the USA.
As things stand, Karl Hein is the only senior keeper available for pre-season training when it officially starts on Monday and even he was on the brink of leaving the club as a free agent until he penned new terms. The Estonia international is expected to leave the club on loan later in the transfer window with Bentley lined up to take his place.
Arsenal have already completed the signing of David Raya on a permanent deal and are expected to source a replacement for Aaron Ramsdale should the England international make it clear he doesn’t want to spend another season on the bench. Espanyol’s Joan Garcia and Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin have been identified as options. The youth ranks have been bolstered by Lucas Nygaard.
🚨 Arsenal make opening offer for Wolves goalkeeper Dan Bentley. Proposal immediately turned down – well below #WWFC valuation of important squad member. #AFC targeting 30yo Englishman as 3rd choice to strengthen ranks in pre-season & beyond @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/PvuT4sgpxn
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 10, 2024
As well as being on Arsenal’s books for seven years as a youngster, Bentley has close ties with both Arsenal’s first team goalkeeper coach, Iñaki Caña, and his assistant, Terry Mason. He crossed paths with the former during a stint at Brentford and the latter at Southend.
While Bentley’s asking price is currently unclear, given he signed for Wolves on a free for a nominal £50,000 fee 18 months ago and has only played a handful of games in the Premier League, you have to assume it will not break the bank.
Elsewhere, reports surfaced last night that Lazio are interested in signing Nuno Tavares. It’s claimed by Gianluca Di Marzio that the Serie A outfit could stretch to €7 million, slightly below what Arsenal want. Other reports claim the Italians will look for a loan with an obligation to buy.
The Portuguese left-back said this week that he’s aiming to give his best when pre-season training starts at London Colney but he accepts his future at the Emirates isn’t really in his hands.
I think we should just switch to a Rolls Royce. Better resell value
Interestingly Bentley came through at Southend United, where he replaced Simon Royce. The chances of this happening are almost as interesting as me.
We was also at Arsenal in 2002 while goalkeeper Rami Saaban was on our books.
However, reports that he used to be pen friends with Keisuke Honda are completely unfounded.
This signing will be a Triumph.
Either way you’re buying German.
Noted Wolves. Here’s our counter offer, courtesy of Wenger:
Opening offer + £1
Not you Bentley!
The “former player” tag was cheeky
You gotta feel sorry for the Orn in this instance. He gets called into Arsenal HQ as “Arsenal have pressing news as regards a move for Wolves player”.
Oohh, who could it be? Ait-Nouri? Neto? Joao Gomes?!
“Alright Edu, I’ll tweet your god damn Bentley update. But I want first dibs on the Rashford scoop when he signs”.
I’m picturing Marcus Rushford selling a line of kid’s plastic sand scoops…
Is Beach Toy Salesman a step up or down from School Dinner Lady?
Both are a step up from Manure…
I do find the idea of paying a transfer fee for a third choice goalkeeper quite strange, even if it’s likely minimal. Can’t we just say whoever plays for the u23s is the 3rd choice given they’ll never play in all likelihood?
Absolutely. I think it is Inaki’s fetish in play here more than an actual need of this guy.
Why do we need a third choice goalkeeper that isn’t an academy prospect, or who is on the verge of retirement? Makes no sense.
Second choice. Hein is leaving on loan .
This is a third choice keeper, basically used for training. If the club sells Ramsdale they’ll bring in a second choice keeper.
I’m okay with not signing players named Bentley.
We had one once, a player not the car. He turned out to be an underwhelming player for the sh*t.
I remember David Bentley once being described as the ‘new Bergkamp’ on MOTD when he was making his way through the ranks! Urgh, not quite……
Not sure what the issue is with this or whether those raising concerns have read the article properly.
He will not be the third choice keeper. He will be our second choice keeper, because Aaron will leave. Aaron has to leave for his own personal development and if he really has aspirations to be England No. 1.
This is sensible business. Hein cannot be our second choice yet – maybe in 25/26 or the season after.
I don’t see how Ramsdale can really stay either – much as we’d all like him to. He won’t be first choice and I doubt that Arteta will really rotate keepers that much. He’ll want a settled defensive unit (in the league anyway). As you say, Ramsdale’s current position at Arsenal is doing him no favours in the England squad either. Pickford is only 30, still young for a keeper, so Ramsdale will really have to stake a claim asap and he can’t do that effectively as a No2 keeper for his club. It seems from reports that Arsenal will… Read more »
Aaron won’t leave
“WWFC valuation of important squad member” Are they kidding me, how important would he be? If Edu ends up paying more than 2m for this guy he risks to be labeled “Stupid” buy his partners in any future negotiations.
Can’t we just do like Wolves themselves did and sign some Championship out-of-contract guy? Can we survive if he has not worked with Inaki Cana before?
Yeah, I think we’re talking ~1 million ballpark here. Seems like intangibles are the strongest driver. Relationships and leadership are not worth-less. Also worth remembering even a championship out of contract guy would have a similar salary, which is likely to be in the 30k range over 3-4 years. At a conservative estimate, that’s a minimum ~5 million pound outlay over the life of the contract. That will be the lions’ share of the financial outlay, not the registration fee. I’m fine with them getting someone they think would be a good culture fit for a bit extra.
Van De Beek went for £500K. So by that logic, if this madness can be considered logic, Bentley for £200K does not seem that far fetched…
He’s a decent enough keeper who’s happy to sit on the bench as number 2.
Squad gold dust…
Sure hope the club will loan me Cana when I need to negotiate my next raise.