Fulham have confirmed the £8m capture of Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno with three Gunners players set to follow suit with their own exits ‘close’. The Cottagers have been in negotiations for a while in relation to snapping up the German goalkeeper and a deal that is add-on heavy and is broken down into many different clauses has finally been settled on between the two London clubs. In a club statement from Arsenal’s end,
Fulham club statement said: “Bernd Leno has joined Fulham in a permanent transfer. Since joining us from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2018, Bernd made 125 appearances for us in all competitions. In his debut season at Emirates Stadium, Bernd soon endeared himself to our supporters with some match-defining performances, notably with a series of world-class saves against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Leicester City. This form continued into his further seasons with us, where Bernd demonstrated his superb reactions and ability to produce the very best on the biggest stage. We thank you Bernd for your contribution to the club during your four years with us. Everyone at Arsenal wishes Bernd and his family all the very best in their new chapter.”
His words words as a new Fulham player have been released on their end. In their club statement, Aaron Ramsdale’s understudy for last season admitted he was ‘relieved’ to finally see this long and drawn out transfer saga come to an end.
Bernd Leno said: “It feels amazing to finally be here. I can’t wait to join the team, to train and play with the team. I’m relieved that everything is done. I’m just happy to be here. It took a little bit of time but in the end we made it, and that’s the most important thing.”