Former Arsenal left-back Nigel Winterburn has said he was surprised the Gunners didn’t try and sign goalkeeper Jordan Pickford before he left Sunderland to join Everton.

Pickford was linked with Arsenal last January while he was still a Sunderland player, and then again this summer when it became clear he would be moving on to bigger and better things. However, with Sunderland demanding £25m for him, Arsenal opted not sign him, and Everton landed the 23-year-old instead.

It was a move that surprised Winterburn, who thought Arsenal should have signed him instead. “He’s a goalkeeper that I really like,” the former left-back said, reports the Daily Star. “I’m surprised that some of the real big clubs, I’m surprised Arsenal didn’t look at him and try and buy him if I’m being totally honest.”

Pickford is a keeper still with a lot to prove and has likely made a sensible choice in signing for Everton. He can continue to develop there as the club’s first choice. At Arsenal, Petr Cech is still the undisputed first-choice keeper, a stance that not every fan agrees with.

The club were happy to let go what many thought was a superior keeper in Wojciech Szczesny to Juventus this summer. That either suggested the club didn’t rate Szczesny or that they thought Cech was still playing at a high level.

Cech’s form, though, has been up and down during his time at Arsenal. With his only competition being David Ospina, you get the impression that we could be looking at a new keeper soon. That keeper could still be Pickford, should he impress at Everton.