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Arsenal transfer news: PSG to rival Gunners in race to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech

Chelsea goalkeeper looks set to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer

Jack de Menezes
Thursday 30 April 2015 12:44 BST
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Arsenal appear to be in a two-horse race to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech in the summer with the goalkeeper closing in on a move away from the club – but still face fierce competition from French league champions Petr Cech.

Cech has lost his first-team place to Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois this season after the 22-year-old returned from a three-season loan spell with Atletico Madrid, and the Czech Republic international looks set to secure a fourth Premier League title of his Chelsea career to end his 11-year stay at Stamford Bridge on a high.

Arsenal remain in the hunt for a top level goalkeeper with doubts surrounding Wojciech Szczesny’s future. The Poland international has seen his place in the Gunners’ starting line-up got o Colombian David Ospina, and he looks like he could be on his way out of the club in the summer after a string of below-par performances.

That would see Arsenal dip into the transfer market for a goalkeeper for the second straight summer following last season’s move for Ospina, and Cech has emerged as a leading candidate along with Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas.

Arsenal face stiff competition for his signature though, with Liverpool, Roma and Real all believed to be interested, but The Mirror claims that it’s PSG who are moving ahead alongside Arsenal with the clubs set to battle it out for his services this summer.

The money-laden French club hope to make Cech a lucrative offer to lure him to Ligue 1, and will reportedly match his current £120,000-a-week wages in a bid to test Arsenal’s resolve with their strict wage structure. As things stand, the club pays both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Özil £140,000-a-week, and it remains to be seen whether they would be willing to offer Cech, who will be 33 next month, such a high weekly salary.

Cech started against Leicester on Wednesday night

Chelsea could also look to play hard ball in selling to their London rivals, with the club preferring Cech to move away from the Premier League, while there are doubts over whether Cech would be willing to play against the Blues in the Premier League given his years of loyal service.

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