Friday 24 July 2015 15:20, UK
Arsene Wenger says Wojciech Szczesny's long-term future is at Arsenal, despite his proposed loan move to Roma.
Szczesny lost his place to David Ospina in the second half of last season, and Petr Cech has since arrived as the new No 1, pushing him further still from the first team.
A deal to send the Poland international to Serie A for the year is "pretty much done", according to Wenger, but on the eve of the annual Emirates Cup the Arsenal boss had encouraging words for his departing goalkeeper.
He said: "Szczesny is a top-class goalkeeper - we have three goalkeepers who are top. For one of the keepers, if he can play somewhere that would be good.
"I believe he will have a future at Arsenal. I personally rate him highly - you do not take a boy and put him in the first team at the age of 20. He already has huge experience. I don't want that experience at such a young age to be wasted."
Szczesny made his Arsenal debut as a teenager and has started 181 times, but he was displaced by Ospina after compounding two errors in a New Year's Day defeat at Southampton by smoking in the shower after the game.
The 25-year-old played in the FA Cup final win over Aston Villa in May and insisted shortly afterwards he was "here to stay".
His imminent departure leaves Emi Martinez as back-up to Cech and Ospina, but Wenger said he could yet sanction another loan move for the Argentine, who has previously had spells with Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham.
