Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly vying for the signature of Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow this summer, according to Dutch outlet De Telegraaf.
Last summer, Arsenal acquired David Raya from Brentford on a season-long loan with an option to buy. The club is expected to finalize his transfer this month. Following Raya’s arrival, Aaron Ramsdale was relegated to the position of second-choice goalkeeper. There is speculation that the 26-year-old Ramsdale might seek new opportunities.
De Telegraaf reports that Bijlow is likely to move to the Premier League in the upcoming transfer window, with both Arsenal and Liverpool viewing him as an ideal second-choice goalkeeper with significant growth potential.
Like Arsenal, Liverpool is also in the market for a new back-up goalkeeper for Alisson, as Caoimhin Kelleher is expected to leave in search of a starting position elsewhere. Bijlow is seen as an excellent candidate to replace Ramsdale at Arsenal.
Arsenal has set a high price tag of £50 million for Ramsdale, with £40 million required as a guaranteed fee. While there are no formal offers yet, proposals are anticipated in the coming weeks. The club may be willing to negotiate the fee if Ramsdale expresses a desire to leave.
In such a scenario, Bijlow would be a suitable replacement for the English goalkeeper. Last season, the Dutch international averaged 33 passes per league game with a pass accuracy of nearly 87 percent. He successfully completed 53 percent of his long balls and made 10 ball recoveries per match.
These statistics surpass those of Ramsdale, who had a pass accuracy of 65 percent, completed 29 percent of his long balls, and made nine recoveries per game last season.
However, Bijlow’s injury record is a concern, as he missed 27 games due to injuries for both club and country last season. This is a factor Arsenal needs to consider. Despite this, Arsenal might proceed with signing him as his workload would be significantly reduced as a back-up.
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