Arsenal have reached an agreement with Cardiff City for Runar Alex Runarsson to join the Championship club on loan.
Arsenal goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson will spend next season on loan in the second tier with Cardiff City, with a deal having been struck between the two clubs, as reported by journalist Mike McGrath.
Arsenal signed Runarsson in the summer of 2020, after Emiliano Martinez left the club to join Aston Villa. Runarsson was brought in from Dijon to serve as a back up option to the Gunners’ then-No. 1, Bernd Leno.
However, in the few opportunities that the 28-year-old got to play for the north London club, he failed to impress. Runarsson made 6 appearances for Arsenal in total across all competitions, all coming in his first season at the Emirates Stadium, and only one of those outings was in the Premier League.
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The 24-cap Iceland international has since had loan spells with Belgian outfit OH Leuven, and Alanyaspor in Turkey. He was able to establish himself as the Turkish side’s first choice last season, making 30 Super Lig appearances, but couldn’t do enough to force his way back into the reckoning of Mikel Arteta.
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Time’s up for Runarsson at Arsenal
With David Raya’s recent arrival at Arsenal, Runarsson is most certainly surplus to requirements. A permanent move away this summer would likely have been preferable from the club’s point of view, but in the event of no viable suitors coming forward, another loan makes the most sense.
Runarsson signed a four year contract when he joined Arsenal. That will expire at the end of the current campaign, at which point he will almost certainly be released as a free agent.
In the meantime, Runarsson will hope to do enough during his time at Cardiff to establish himself as the first choice option between the sticks. For Arsenal, the decision to sign the player in the first place will go down as a transfer market misstep.