Arteta sanctions exit of Arsenal's forgotten man as transfer slips under radar

18 August 2023 , 23:49

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Mikel Arteta has released another one of his goalkeepers for 2023/24 (Image: Sky Sports)

Mikel Arteta has let another one of his Arsenal players leave for the 2023/24 campaign - but it's not a departure likely to impact his Premier League title quest.

Icelandic keeper Runar Alex Runarsson was signed by the Spaniard back in September 2020, making his debut in a Europa League win over Dundalk the following month. Later that season he was hauled off the bench in a Premier League clash after Bernd Leno was sent off against Wolves - in what would prove his only top flight appearance for the club to date.

Season-long loan spells in Belgium with OH Leuven and then Turkey with Alanyaspor followed, leaving the 28-year-old as a forgotten man with the Gunners. That's despite a promising spell in the Super Lig, where he made 32 appearances.

But he's returned to north London this summer to find himself even further down the pecking order. Despite the form of Aaron Ramsdale, Arteta has moved to sign Brentford's David Raya on loan, with a view to a permanent deal at the end of the season.

And Alex Runarsson has now gone out on a third loan move, with his Spanish boss sanctioning a move to Championship side Cardiff. The player himself has cited a conversation with another Icelandic international, Aron Gunnarsson, as the catalyst for a move to south Wales.

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"I'm very happy to get the deal over the line," he told reporters. "It took some time, but I'm pleased to be here. The club made contact with my agent and said that they wanted to sign me, I know it's a big club and it sparked my interest right away.

"I spoke to 'Gunnars' before signing and the first thing he said was 'go' and that he loved it here. The manager also spoke to me about the playing style, what he wants from me, what he wants from the team and how he sees my role within the team. He saw me play in Turkey when I was on loan there, so it's good that I'm coming to play for a manager that knows me and knows my qualities."

Runar Alex Runarsson has joined Cardiff on loan (Offside via Getty Images)

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Indeed, current Cardiff boss Erol Bulut was in charge at Gaziantep last season, so would have been perfectly placed to assess Alex Runarsson's form. And the player himself also alluded to the fact that due to the timing of his debut season at Arsenal, he's yet to experience UK football crowds.

"I'm really excited to play in front of the fans," he added. "Seeing the stadium, I can feel the atmosphere in the air, so I'm looking forward playing in front of fans. When I signed for Arsenal, it was during Covid, so I didn't get to experience British football with the fans, so I'm excited to play in that atmosphere."

With Matt Turner having joined Nottingham Forest, Estonian Karl Hein is likely to be considered Arteta's third-choice keeper. He's spent the last three seasons playing for the Gunners at under-21 level.

Fraser Watson