According to a source, Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has piqued the interest of Portuguese club Benfica ahead of a possible summer transfer.
Leno’s playing time with the Gunners was severely limited in the 2021-22 season with the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United last summer.
The 30-year-old only made eight appearances for Mikel Arteta’s team in all competitions, with four of them coming in the Premier League.
According to The Sun, Leno has been judged surplus to requirements due to the imminent arrival of Matt Turner from MLS club New England Revolution in the coming weeks.
According to the source, Benfica is interested in bringing the German to the Primeira Liga ahead of the 2022-23 season, but the current £8.5 million price tag is proving to be a hurdle.
As Arteta attempts to improve his transfer budget after missing out on Champions League football, Leno might be one of several periphery players to leave the Emirates Stadium in the coming weeks.
After joining Arsenal for about £22.5 million from Bayer Leverkusen in 2018, Leno has made 125 appearances for the North London club in his four-year tenure.
