04 August 2023 , 22:20
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Arsenal outcast Matt Turner looks set to follow in the footsteps of a World Cup winner as he closes in on a departure from the Emirates Stadium.
The USMNT goalkeeper has found first-team football hard to come by since making the move across the Atlantic from the New England Revolution back in 2022. Despite being a mainstay for his country in that time, he has been unable to dislodge first choice Aaron Ramsdale and has not appeared for the Gunners in the Premier League.
This has not deterred manager Steve Cooper, however, with Nottingham Forest looking likely to complete a move for the 29-year-old stopper as they look to replace loanee Dean Henderson in net. The Manchester United player returned to his parent club following the conclusion of last term and it would appear that they are looking to fill the void left after his departure with the American.
According to multiple reports, the two-time European champions are working on a permanent deal to bring the 32-time international to the City Ground. In recent days, the Gunners' interest in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya has emerged and it looks as though Mikel Arteta has deemed his current back-up to be surplus to requirements.
After being restricted to just seven appearances last season - with five of these coming in the Europa League - it would seem that the move to Forest could prove to be a fruitful endeavour for the New Jersey-born star. There are similarities with Emi Martinez, who left North London for Aston Villa back in 2020 and Turner will be hoping to find similar success if he is to depart.
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Having been reduced to a bit-part role with the 13-time English champions, the Argentine stopper decided to move to the Midlands and went on to earn plaudits for his performances for club and country. The character spent more than 10 years at the Emirates Stadium but was never able to establish himself as a first-choice option - making 38 appearances.
His decision was soon rewarded and he was an ever-present in his first season with the Villains, before making 36 outings in the previous two campaigns. He explained the reasons behind his switch to Villa Park back in 2021, telling : "They couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed so I thought that if they couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed, then I’m moving on.
Emiliano Martinez has evolved into one of the world's best goalkeepers ((Photo by Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images))"They didn’t say to me that I wasn’t going to play, they just didn’t guarantee me the games that I wanted to play. So, after 10 years, I decided to leave, and it was very difficult.
"My family didn’t understand why I was leaving when I was at such a good level at Arsenal, but it was my decision to leave and I’m really proud I did it. It was a gamble, but I always believe that if you stay in the comfort zone, you will never reach anything in life. I decided to take the step up."
His form at Villa also caught the attention of his national team bosses, with Lionel Scaloni making him his number one choice for the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Of course, you could say the rest is history, as the 30-year-old formed part of the team that brought the trophy back to Argentina for a first time since the days of Diego Maradona.
His performance in the final etched his name in the annals of history, with his save from Kingsley Coman helping his team to a historic triumph in the penalty shootout versus France. Not only did this save help to earn him a World Cup winner's medal but he also picked up the Golden Glove in the tournament and was also was named The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper for 2022.