Arsenal completed the loan signing of Neto from AFC Bournemouth on deadline day, but the backup goalkeeper won’t be able to feature in this season’s league cup.
Neto after signing for Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Arsenal completed the signing of Neto from Bournemouth on deadline day, with the goalkeeper joining on a season-long loan, but the specifics of his loan make him ineligible for a few matches this campaign.
For a start, Neto wasn’t signed in time to be eligible for Arsenal’s match against Brighton on Saturday, so he’s already missed one match.
As the move is only a loan, Neto will also be unable to face parent club Bournemouth in either of the Premier League fixtures between his two teams.
But on top of that, Neto will also be unable to play for Arsenal in the League Cup.
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND: Neto of Bournemouth waves to the fans after the pre-season friendly match between Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano at Vitality Stadium on August 04, 2024. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Neto featured as Bournemouth’s captain as they took on West Ham United in their opening League Cup fixture this week, and that appearance has left him cup-tied in the competition.
Mikel Arteta tends to rotate his goalkeepers in the cup competitions, but he’ll either have to stick to his first-choice goalkeeper in David Raya or use 18-year-old summer signing Tommy Setford in the League Cup this season.
Setford was ostensibly signed as an academy goalkeeper, but it looks like he’ll have a senior role to play in 2024/25.
LONDON, ENGLAND: David Raya of Arsenal embraces his teammate Tommy Setford prior to the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Olympique Lyonnais at Emirates Stadium on August 11, 2024. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
It will be interesting to see which way Arteta leans in Arsenal’s opening League Cup fixture against Bolton Wanderers next month.
If he picks Raya, you’d expect the Spaniard to remain in goal for the rest of the competition. If Setford isn’t preferred against lower-league Bolton, it’s unlikely he’ll come in for the later rounds.
Either way, the youngster is set for a few more appearances on the bench for Arsenal at the very least.
