Arsenal completes reported €22M deal for German 'keeper Leno

Arsenal completed a move for goalkeeper Bernd Leno on Tuesday, just hours after reports that the Gunners had agreed to a €22-million deal with Bayer Leverkusen.

"Bernd is a goalkeeper of high quality and experience," head coach Unai Emery said. "He has been a top performer and regular No. 1 goalkeeper with Leverkusen in the Bundesliga for the past seven years. We are all excited that Bernd has chosen Arsenal Football Club and look forward to start working with him in pre-season."

Leno, who was excluded from Germany's World Cup squad, was heavily linked with a move to Napoli before making the switch to north London. He is Arsenal's second official signing of the post-Arsene Wenger era after Stephan Lichtsteiner. Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira are expected to follow suit.

Leno made his Bundesliga debut with Leverkusen in 2011, keeping clean sheets in each of his first three matches. He also became the youngest goalkeeper to feature in a Champions League match at 19 years and 193 days old. In the intervening years, he established himself as one of Germany's finest shot-stoppers, showing poise on penalty kicks and fearlessness in front of goal.

Arsenal now has to make a decision on Petr Cech and David Ospina. Cech lost confidence after a string of errors in the 2017-18 campaign, while Ospina failed to find consistency in goal. Both of their contracts expire in June 2019.