Arsenal have reportedly tabled a £300,000 bid for Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Dan Bentley, a former Gunner who left the club’s academy at the age of 15.
This move, if successful, would mark a remarkable return for the 31-year-old to his boyhood club.
While Arsenal’s offer falls short of Wolves’ £1 million valuation, sources suggest that both clubs are engaged in negotiations to find a compromise. Bentley, primarily a backup to Jose Sa at Wolves, has made only nine appearances for the club since joining in 2023, with limited opportunities in the Premier League.
On the surface, the Gunners’ interest in Bentley comes as a something of a surprise, considering their recent acquisition of David Raya from Brentford and the presence of Aaron Ramsdale in the squad. However, Mikel Arteta is determined to strengthen his goalkeeping options further with a significant overhaul in that department.
Despite limited playing time, Bentley’s arrival would likely see him to third in the pecking order, behind Raya and Ramsdale, but would provide depth and competition on the bench with Ramsdale possibly on his way out.
This bid for Bentley follows Arsenal’s recent acquisition of 18-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Setford from Ajax for just under £1 million as well as the signing of Lucas Nygaard. In total, Arsenal could potentially sign five goalkeepers this summer, with three already in the bag.
The club’s reported plan involves Raya as the first-choice keeper, with another potential new signing David Garcia as the second and Bentley as the third. Youngsters Nygaard and Setford would then join the Arsenal U21s, while Karl Hein would be loaned out for further development.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Garcia, however, hinges on Aaron Ramsdale‘s departure. If the England international stays, the move for Garcia will likely not proceed. If he does, Arsenal would be looking to secure Garcia for a fee considerably less than his €25 million buyout clause, potentially even below €15 million.
This summer has seen a significant exodus of young goalkeepers from Arsenal, with several players leaving upon the expiration of their contracts. With Hein likely to be loaned out and the possibility of Ramsdale‘s departure, Arsenal’s interest in multiple goalkeepers seems less surprising in this context.