To Arsenal’s credit or discredit (moreso credit), Arsenal has a relatively limited history of signing American players. Unless something drastic changes in the next few years, I’d be completely fine with it. The amount of attention poured onto every touch that Pulisic makes, every game he doesn’t start, every goal he does/doesn’t score, etc. I’m cool with not having to deal with it for any American player. Obviously Pulisic is much greater talent with much greater pressure but you get the idea. Arsenal this past week, completed the signing of American goalkeeper Matt Turner from the New England Revolution with a base fee of around $7 million (£5.7 million). This deal came to an agreement in February with the official announcement this past week being more of a formality.
I first came onto Matt Turner when he was the best player for the USMNT in our Gold Cup title run this past year. At that point, you could make an argument that he should be the USMNT #1 GK going into 2022 because of how well he played. I then went on to watch absolutely none of his club games but if he is as good as he showed at the Gold Cup, it’s a very decent signing by Arsenal.
ARSENAL OUTLOOK FOR TURNER: After the relatively successful campaign Aaron Ramsdale just had, he looks like the nailed-on starter for Arsenal coming into this season with Matt Turner as the backup keeper. At 28 years of age, it doesn’t look likely nor does it make sense for Arsenal to loan out Matt Turner to another team. Also it doesn’t make sense for Matt Turner to make a move to England to then get loaned out in his athletic prime. Bernd Leno (who I still think is the best keeper at the club low-key) has somehow not been signed by another club which is also very confusing. I believe the expectation is for Leno to go to another team, we just don’t know where yet with Fulham leading the race it seems like.
The only person who seems to have been rewarded for Arsenal choking the Champions League is Matt Turner funny enough. If Arsenal made the Champions League, it is expected that Ramsdale would have gotten the Champions League group stage and Premier League games leaving the scraps for Matt Turner in the League Cup and FA Cup. With Arsenal playing in the Europa League, Matt Turner will most likely get the Thursday night games as well as the League Cup games which should give him a decent amount of reps going into the World Cup.
USMNT OUTLOOK: As stated earlier, it seemed nailed on for Matt Turner to be Gregg Berhalter’s #1 going into 2022 but injuries and random circumstances brought him back to the mix instead of the undisputed starting GK.
He had two decent runs as the starting GK in World Cup qualifying which should mean something for Gregg Berhalter going into World Cup roster selections. It does baffle me a bit why Matt Turner chose to make this move now going into a World Cup year where you are more than likely going to be the backup keeper. I understand the attractiveness of joining a club like Arsenal with a past like Matt Turner who inched and clawed his way to where he is now, it just is a risk that we will have to see if it pays off when it comes to Gregg making his decision on who is starting GK is. Zach Steffen who was in an identical position as Matt Turner at Man City is going on loan to Championship side Middlesbrough to be the starter to ensure he gets playing time at club level to keep his place as Gregg’s #1. Matt Turner now is undoubtedly my guy to represent the national team with Steffen struggling in the FA Cup semifinal and the Costa Rica qualifying match but moreso because he is at Arsenal. It’ll be interesting who makes more of an impact going into the World Cup but give me Matt Turner anyday (lifelong Matt Turner guy ya know).
CONCLUSION: I can’t even lie and say I watched one minute of Matt Turner in the MLS but by all accounts from everything I have seen for the national team, he seems to be more than good enough to at least be the backup at Arsenal. Would I be scared if Matt Turner ended up being the starter at Arsenal if Ramsdale went down? Kinda, but only because he is American and my need for him to not be a failure. Matt Turner does have history on his side as Brad Freidel, Kasey Keller, Tim Howard, and Brad Guzan all have made decent careers being American GKs in the Premier League and I at least think Matt Turner is good enough to join that group.
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