Lukas Fabianski has confirmed that he has turned down the offer of a contract extension at the Emirates and will look for a new challenge when he becomes a free agent in the summer.
The Pole, who plays second fiddle to Wojciech Szczesny both at Arsenal and at international level, has long spoken of his desire for first team football and will no doubt have many suitors. At 28 he’s coming into his peak years and has already demonstrated that on his day he’s a very good keeper indeed.
The Daily Star quote Fabianski as saying, “I want to be number one in the club and in the Polish national team. I have learned a lot at London during very positive and challenging periods.
“With biggest respect to this great club, I didn’t accept the extension offer as I am looking forward to a new challenge in England or abroad.”
Having watched Don Vito move to Sunderland and thrive as a first choice, it wouldn’t be surprising if a Premier League club offers Fabianski a chance. It’ll be interesting to see whether Arsene Wenger looks to bring in an experienced head, promotes Damien Martinez (currently on loan at Sheffield Wednesday) or exercises his right to buy Emiliano Viviano permanently from Palermo.
For what it’s worth, the Daily Star also include a sensationalist take on Sagna rejecting a new deal, but seeing as that’s not backed up by quotes it’s not really worth anything.
Good luck Lukasz!
Obviously had some rough patches, but I think he’s been a worthy deputy to Szcz over the past couple seasons. Thanks for your service and best of luck!
A pole in goal is better than 2 De-geas.
I will always remember Fabianski for being the guy to teach me how to pronounce the ‘Ł’ symbol.
Fare thee well, Chewbacca.
Why are you making it sound like he’s dead.
thankyou for bayern away performance last year !
The daily star is shit, but the Sagna situation isn’t looking might positive. Would love him to stay
Bye Lucas remember calling u flappianski but last two years when played u been quality!!
Always reliable when called upon, but not a top 4 side keeper and thankyou for your performance against wolves ages ago when Chamahk scored 2 heh you dont say that everyday.
+ Quite hilarious how we move Alumina on then sign his twin, only at Arsenal!
It is not a reaction to the horror show at Liverpool, but I feel we should let go of several players come summer. NB52, Abou Diaby, Fabianski and Podolski. Invest the savings in players who could come in the team and make a difference.
And what, pray tell, has poldi done to warrant being let go?
Apparently he didn’t reply with enough hashtags…. #emotionalshubham#
Given that the article is actually about Fabianski deciding to leave … oh, nothing.
Let’s do the whole deadwood thing again. I miss that.
Podolski?? Are you on crack?
Fair play to him for not complaining about not getting enough game time, he seems a loyal respectful type. I like the guy and Wish him all the best when he does leave
I hope this is not the start of many players wanting to leave.
Why would they?
Because we are so predictable…always falling short at some stage of the season: bound to be frustrating for ppayers
Because being on the bench is not good enough for others.
Because we sell players.
Who did we sell in the last transfer window? We kept our core together and have reaped the rewards as a result. To the contrary I think Wenger will probably trim here and there, and buy quality come the summer. Don’t discount Vermaelen leaving though because no class player wants to be sat on a bench week in week out.
Sorry, I meant last summer.
The class player you are talking about was given chances and benched when he came short. Mertscielny right now is the best comnbination for the team .
It is funny you should mention Vermaelen. I have been saying for a long time that we need to sort out the DM situation. My solution involves using Vermaelen as a DM and Mert and Kosc at the back. We have obviously missed a strong DM who can show some aggression, protect the back line, win possession in our half and launch an attack from the back since Vieira and Petit. How great would it have been if we had had protection against Liverpool (although the entire team was shite) and Man Shitty, who exposed Flamini and made him look… Read more »
What team isn’t predictable? Which team is? Is being unpredictable therefore predictable?
All but one team falls short during the season as some stage; arguably all teams, at some stage.
Quote “Because being on the bench is not good enough for others” I’m so sorry you make no sense sir!
All teams sell players .
Fabianski is a great keeper, I hope we keep him. If he is determined to go to establish first team football then that’s understandable. But no idea who is a better back up if I’m honest.
Fabianski leaving isn’t the catalyst for half the team wanting to leave – its a sub keeper who knows he will be always play 2nd fiddle to Sczc, & would rather play week in week out.
Good luck to him I say (although not so much if he goes to the skids or rent boys)
Lack of leaders in the team
Is growing smaller every season?
He has really grown into a Fab keeper
Definitely a CL team material
I don’t understand the rational in keeping players on the bench while a few on the pitch are performing below average? Two examples are Poldi or Bendtner for Giroud or Rosicky, Gnabry or the Ox whenever Ozil is below per.
And good luck to Fabiansky wherever he may go, but we should do everything possible to keep our Sagna, he’s been consistently brilliant for some seasons now. I don’t see why we shouldn’t at least try and give him all he wants, he couldn’t be asking for what Theo and Ozil are getting!
My thoughts…
He rose to the challenge and improved only to find Ches had improved considerably farther,
good luck I say
I feel a little sorry for him as just when he was establishing himself as the number one and playing well after a terrible first couple years he got injured and szez took over. Has looked good this and last season.
Mannone is doing very well at Black Cats. Can’t see why he can’t do the same. All the best Fab.
Thank God
Good luck to him. A goalkeeper’s career is very tough, and a lot of great keepers break through due to lucky breaks, like our own Szczesny. Unfortunately, Fabianski is at the other end of the luck spectrum. If he hadn’t been injured midway through 2010-11 season when he was pretty good, maybe the story would have been different. Farewell then, Flappyhandski!
Good luck Fab!
TV5 for DM!
Always had a soft spot for him. When Chessers had a personal crisis last season he stepped in and did very well – he played an important role in our recovery to scrape 4th. Always will respect him for that. Always seemed like a class act on and off the pitch, good luck to wherever you go Lukas!
Szczęsny came into his own when being pushed by Fab. I don’t expect a drop in form as such, but Szczęsny needs to be pushed to perform at his best it seems. Who could do that better than Fab?
I copied and pasted Szczęsny from Wiki. Didn’t bother with Fab though…..
I wonder if going public with this will affect his involvement in the FA Cup games.
This is always the issue with trying to add depth to squad, in that invariably and particularly in central defensive positions, those providing back up will be hard to please with lengthy spells benched. Keeper is an issue. I’m not sure if Julio Cesar is that great a keeper but he has plenty of experience. OTOH @32, you feel he has still much to play for in his career where someone say past 35 may be a bit more content to play second fiddle. Ditto Casillas or even Lloris should he feel compelled to do the right thing and ditch… Read more »
Got a feeling that Bac will be on his way. And will be replaced by Micah Richards.
Don’t know why. Just a gut feel. Don’t be angry with me.