Matt Turner’s breakout 2021 not only put him squarely in the running for the starting goalkeeper role for the U.S. men’s national team, and cemented his status as the top goalkeeper in Major League Soccer, it also placed him on the list of Americans drawing interest from top European clubs.
One of those clubs has stepped forward with a sizeable bid, with Arsenal emerging as a serious candidate for the New England Revolution goalkeeper, ESPN reported on Thursday. The Gunners have reportedly made a bid in the range of $7.5 millon for Turner, a figure comparable to what Manchester City paid the Columbus Crew Zack Steffen in 2019.
Turner has become one of the top goalkeepers in MLS since becoming the No. 1 in New England in 2018. The USMNT goalkeeper is coming off his best season yet in MLS, making 101 saves in 35 regular season appearances, winning the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, and leading the Revs to the MLS Supporters’ Shield during a record-setting season.
The New Jersey native delivered a sensational year for the USMNT as well in 2021, helping Gregg Berhalter’s side win the Concacaf Gold Cup and also finishing as the tournament’s best goalkeeper, earning a spot on the Gold Cup Best XI. Turner totaled 13 appearances for the USMNT in 2021, setting a new record for shutouts in a calendar year with nine.
Arsenal acquired Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United in August 2021, and the Englishman has totaled 19 appearances as Mikel Arteta’s No. 1. German international Bernd Leno has been linked with an exit from the Emirates Stadium, providing an opportunity for Turner to jump right into the first-team plans in London.
Turner is currently in Arizona with the USMNT as part of a preparation camp before its qualifying schedule begins on January 27th in Ohio. Arsenal suffered elimination from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, losing 2-0 to Liverpool in a semifinal second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners are in sixth place in the Premier League standings, two points behind fourth-place West Ham United.
Man it doesnt matter if he beats out ramsdale at all. A move to Arsenal is clearly the right one. He is going to make tremendously more money than what he is on at NE Rev. This is a no brainer. He is going to make 1-1.5 million pounds per season at a minimum at gunners. Imagine the convo with wifey, like yeah i could move to London and make 1-1.2 million per year more than i’m making now but turned it down because it might influence the national team….. Benard Leno is on 5.2 million pounds per week. Even getting half of that is absolutely life changing.
He clearly should do this if it is a legitimate offer. I would be so pissed if an MLS team blocked a move the the EPL. He is going to make at least 25,000 pounds per week to be the back up at arsenal.
Its the first big offer. Turner is under contract for a while. There is no reason to jump at the first offer. Hang on, see what else comes up
In 2021 Ramsdale was making £3,276,000 per year. Turner was making £254,800.
Anything else is just fluff.
This^^^^ If Turner can even get half of what Ramsdale makes he should demand the transfer with all his might. Nothing is guaranteed in sports unless it is guaranteed in writing. Take the money, secure your future, and then fight for your minutes secure in the knowledge that no matter what happens you and your family are set for life.
Go on a less than $10 million transfer to Arsenal when Ramsdale is English and they paid 33 million GBP? Is it his dream to sit the bench in the premiership or be the starting keeper in the World Cup? Lot of ifs but if he has a good WC then there will be competition for his services among teams and leagues and he can get a starting spot on a bigger transfer.
His competition as the US #1 sits on the bench in the EPL. I don’t really see the problem would be. It could be a good opportunity for him and certainly a better income. Not happy about the extent that the Revs might be decimated by transfers this off-season, but I’m not going to begrudge Turner the chance.
Great for Turner to get this chance, he has earned it, and if I was his agent or family member, I am telling him to DO IT. Strictly as a USMNT fan, I am groaning inside because it looks like he would be the #2 and only get cup games, etc. Which means going into a world cup year, our top 3 GKs will all be backups and not getting regular games…yikes.
Good news for Sean Johnson to be the number one goalkeeper for the USMNT. The current top three goalkeepers will be sitting on the bench in England.
Sounds like it’s a deal to challenge Ramsdale more so than being in love with Turner. Ramsdale is 4 years younger. It’s only worth it if he plays; at his age he’s better off playing than backing up, even it is Premier League.
But I would imagine that his pay would increase quite a bit. How many chances will he have to do that? Always something to consider.
True…but PT is likely a stronger factor, especially since it’s a world cup year…
Forget the naysayers, if Arsenal comes knocking, you go for it.
Really? Do you think he beats out Ramsdale?
Because if he doesn’t then he’s just the same as Steffen, only at a lousier club.
In fact he becomes less than Steffen because he loses his only advantage in the USMNT goalkeeper contest, playing regularly.
If he’s going to move and his USMNT situation matters to him, then it has to be to where he’s sure he will get as much PT as he does now.
Soooo… I guess we can just tell all our players their highest achievement is to aim to succeed in MLS their whole lives and be fine with mediocrity when it comes to aspirations.
Nah fam.
I’d do it, personally. Arsenal? The Prem?
Yeah, I’d like to play. But it’d be hard to turn away Arsenal money and Arsenal prestige. This is why you get into the game, no?
Dainja,
WE don’t tell Turner anything.
He’s a big boy and he doesn’t need any of us to tell him how to live his life.
Could he win the #1 spot? Sure.
But Arsenal want him to push Ramsdale. Which means the best result for them is that Ramsdale raises his game and Turner only plays Cup games.
Which means there is already an inherent bias that will hinder Turner.
On the other hand, moving to Arsenal now could dramatically alter his pay. Some people are rich and financially independent but, for the rest of us, an extra zero added to the paycheck can be life altering.
And this may be his best and only chance to cash in on his modest success with the USMNT.
As for the USMNT, he’s not the #1 keeper.
Steffen, this manager’s favorite, is the #1. And based on what I’m seeing, Steffen is only getting better. And the USMNT manager is notoriously based towards his pets.
Barring injury to Steffen, no one else is going to play a minute in the World Cup if they get there.
Turner is young enough so that , in theory , he could be the #1 in 2026 but odds are that the competition is only going to get stiffer.
If this Arsenal rumor isn’t the usual BS, then Matt going to have some real hard thinking to do