Emi Martinez has completed a loan move to Reading until the end of the season, whilst confirmation has also come through of youth goalkeeper Daniel Barden’s move to Norwich City.

Just after midday on Wednesday, Arsenal announced they’re letting Martinez leave for Championship side Reading until the end of the season. They wrote that he’s departing ‘to gain more first-team experience’. The goalkeeper completed his medical on the same day, just in time to join his new teammates in his first training session.

Reading boss Jose Gomes said of the move: “I am delighted we have been able to attract a goalkeeper of Emi’s undoubted ability to Reading. He will provide excellent competition for the goalkeeper’s position and adds quality to our group. I look forward to working with him on the training ground for the first time later today.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Barden has signed for Norwich City. Arsenal youth expert Jeorge Bird spotted that the goalkeeper appeared to have joined the Canaries, and Norwich’s club website confirms that the 18-year-old officially completed his move on the 8th of November 2018.

As usual with youth transfers, it just took a while for the websites to be updated and news of the move to filter through. Barden had previously featured for Norwich’s u18s as a triallist in October, but he made an official appearance as a City player in the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday night.

With both Arthur Okonkwo and Karl Hein ahead of him for the u18s, it was probably best for the young goalkeeper to move on. The same goes for Martinez, who had Bernd Leno and Petr Cech to compete with.

Cech retires at the end of the season, so a really strong loan spell for Emi could see him getting a chance in Arsenal’s second-choice position this summer. We’ll see.