Arsenal made “a big bid” for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina last year, according to Gunners legend Bob Wilson.
Manager Arsene Wenger was reportedly keen to land a top-class goalkeeper last summer and failed with a bid to land Fulham and Australia veteran Mark Schwarzer, leaving him to go through Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny this season.
And with each goalkeeper having made costly mistakes at some point in their Arsenal careers, the Frenchman has faced increasing criticism for not bringing an elite keeper to the Emirates Stadiums.
But Wilson, who made 234 appearances for Arsenal before becoming the club’s goalkeeping coach, claims Wenger has been trying to solve the problem, and revealed the Gunners manager tried to land Liverpool and Spain star Reina last summer.
Wilson told talkSPORT: “Arsene tried like mad to buy not only a goalkeeper but what he considered to be the most consistent in the country, so he made a big bid for Pepe Reina.
“That didn't come out because that's not Arsene Wenger's way of doing it and it's not Arsenal's way of doing it, but he did attempt to do that.”