Just a week after former USMNT and Premier League goalkeeper Brad Friedel voiced his concerns regarding Matt Turner’s role at Arsenal, another MLS legend has claimed the 28-year-old should already be looking to leave.
Turner finds himself in a very different situation compared to the one he enjoyed at New England Revolution, where he claimed the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2021. He is no longer first-choice at club level, casting doubt over his starting spot for the national team at the World Cup and beyond.
Since arriving in north London five months ago, Turner has made just four competitive appearances, all of which have come in the Europa League. The American shot-stopper is likely to have featured more, though a groin injury has kept him on the sidelines in recent weeks.
READ MORE: Arsenal handed Matt Turner ultimatum as USMNT legend questions Mikel Arteta transfer decision
Questioned over his lack of minutes, Turner confirmed he had received no guarantees over playing time and admitted that his move to Arsenal was a risk he had to take.
“Absolutely not, no. There's no guarantees in this game,” he said. “It's all about how you train, and how you gain the trust of your manager and those around you. I wasn't given any specific clarity on my role, just that if you show up, you come in, and you work hard, then anything can happen.
“So for me, it was a risk to go from being a shoo-in starter to a place where I wasn't guaranteed to be a regular starter, but it felt like a necessary risk that I had to take,” Turner added.
Recently speaking to Fair Betting Sites, Friedel claimed Turner is “too good of a goalkeeper to be sitting on the bench,” and now his former USMNT teammate Eric Wynalda has weighed in on the matter.
“I would like to see him somewhere else but I think after the World Cup,” Wynalda told VegasInsider. “Especially if he plays well. I see him getting loaned out somewhere else. Probably the same level (in the Premier League) I’m hoping.
“I think Matt Turner is a talent and has done extremely well. He's made some very timely saves, caught the eye of some other teams who may need a goalkeeper so we’ll see how that all pans out for him. To me he’s our number one. It’s not even a contest.
“All in all, to have 8 games prior to the World Cup it's not the end of the world. I think he got enough games. He did extremely well in the Europa League until he had to sit one out. He’s only conceded one goal and has a few clean sheets so I'm happy with that.”
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