Former Arsenal keeper Mat Ryan has signed for AZ Alkmaar for a fee so low, some in the press are calling him ‘basically free’ as they wonder what the catch is.

At the start of August, Mat Ryan signed a two-year deal with FC Copenhagen, but, after just six months, he has moved to AZ Alkmaar for a fee believed to be in the region of €500k.

Still only 30, some in the media can’t quite believe the bargain AZ Alkmaar managed to land and it is peculiar when you consider that Ryan is valued at €5m – 10 times what he has been sold for.

That being said, FC Copenhagen have at least recouped the €500k they spent to sign him from Real Sociedad.

Ryan signed for Arsenal on loan from Brighton for the second half of the 20/21 season.

He made just three appearances for The Gunners and, when the summer rolled around, found himself waiting for a permanent offer that just never came.