Arsenal set for seven-figure windfall to bolster transfer warchest… thanks to clever clause in forgotten star’s deal
ARSENAL’s transfer fund is set to be boosted by a seven-figure sum thanks to a clever clause relating to one of their forgotten stars.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno, 31, left the Emirates for Fulham for an initial £3million last summer.
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However, this deal also included a number of performance-related add-ons.
And one of those was a Premier League survival fee for the then-newly promoted West London team.
Fulham have impressed on their top-fight return and sit comfortably in the top half of the table on 45 points.
And this week they were confirmed to be mathematically safe from the crash.
Now Arsenal will reap the reward of another £1million as a result of the survival clause.
Leno, who has kept seven clean sheets, has made 32 appearances for Fulham this season.
And that also means another £1million is due in the Arsenal bank account as a result of his performances.
That brings the fee paid by Fulham to £5million – but there could be more to come for the Gunners in 12 months.
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That’s because they’re due a further £2million, bringing the total package to £8million if Fulham survive again next season.
Cottagers boss Marco Silva will see it as money well spent after praising the German star following his performance against Fulham last week.
He said: “Extraordinary. A top goalkeeper and I keep repeating it, in my opinion he is one of the top three goalkeepers in this competition.
“He shows his quality in every single game – games when he has more work to do, when the other team creates dangerous moments around our box, he’s always there, and when you control the game and then there’s a chance for him Opposition, he is there too.
“He was brilliant and the most important thing in a goalkeeper is really to be consistent. From the first game at home against Brentford to today, he’s certainly been one of the most consistent goalkeepers this season in the Premier League.”
