At present, across the first-team, U21s and U18s, Aaron Ramsdale is the only goalkeeper who is guaranteed to be under contract at the start of July, and he could potentially depart later this summer as he seeks regular playing time elsewhere.
David Raya’s loan deal from Brentford is set to come to an end but it is widely expected that he will make his move to Arsenal permanent.
However, Raya and Ramsdale have been called up for Euro 2024 for Spain and England respectively, which will mean that they will both miss a significant part of pre-season.
Arsenal have offered a new contract to Karl Hein, whose current deal expires this month, but it remains to be seen if he will stay.
If Hein remains at the club then he will probably act as first-choice for the start of pre-season.
Even if another goalkeeper is signed then there will still be an opening for an academy shot-stopper to step up, albeit temporarily, as third choice for the first-team in pre-season.
There have been some significant changes with regards to goalkeepers at youth level already, with James Hillson, Ovie Ejeheri, Hubert Graczyk and Noah Cooper all set to leave the club.
Second years scholars Alexei Rojas and Brian Okonkwo have both been offered professional contracts, so it seems likely that at least one of them could be involved with the first-team in pre-season if they choose to stay.
Rojas first trained with the senior squad when he was an U16 player, while Okonkwo broke into the U21 side towards the end of last season.
The involvement of Rojas or Okonkwo with the first-team would have a further knock-on effect for the U21s ahead of their six pre-season fixtures.
Talented trio Khari Ranson, Owen Asemota and Jack Porter have all been offered scholarship contracts and at least one of them could be involved with the U21s for part of pre-season if they choose to stay.
The U18s also have their own pre-season fixtures to fulfil and Jack Talbot and Danny Dixon, who will be U16 players next season and have already been on the bench for the older age group, could be required at some stage.
A similar scenario with young goalkeepers stepping up in pre-season has happened before. In 2021, the likes of Karl Hein, Hillson and Tom Smith were all involved with the first-team in pre-season along with the recently promoted Arthur Okonkwo.
It will be intriguing to see how Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation develops over the summer and those who are afforded opportunities with older age groups will be determined to seize their chance.
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