Mannone was signed by Arsenal for £350,000 in the summer of 2005 from Atalanta, after the club agreed a compensation fee for the goalkeeper, who had yet to sign a professional contract.

The Italian would have to wait until the 2008-09 season for first his competitive appearance for the Gunners. During that intervening period he was sent out on loan to Barnsley, where he made four outings.

His Gunners debut came in a 4-1 victory over Stoke City in the Premier League. He then featured in the Champions League for the club in the following term. In that season, he enjoyed arguably his best showing in a 1-0 triumph at Fulham.

In the 2010-11 campaign, Mannone was sent out on loan to gain first-team experience at Hull City, and he would return to the Tigers the season after. Overall, he made 31 league appearances for Hull.

The shot-stopper, who has represented Italy at Under-21 level, made a more sustained impression at Emirates Stadium in the early stages of the 2012-13 season, as, with Wojciech Szczesny injured, he was given a prolonged run in the side.

Strengths: Mannone has demonstrated he has sharp reactions, while he is also an agile 'keeper.

Weaknesses: The Italian has been guilty of howlers, while his ability to dominate in a crowded penalty area is under question.

Career high: Mannone was in stunning form for Arsenal's 1-0 win over Fulham in 2009. He pulled off a number of world-class saves and dubbed the performance his "best ever game".

Career low: He was heavily criticised for a glaring error in the Gunners' 3-1 Champions League loss to Olympiakos after he raced out of his box to head clear only to be caught out, with his haphazard scissor kick leaving him red-faced.

Style: Vocal goalkeeper who has demonstrated he has the raw materials to press for a first-team place at Arsenal.

Quotes: "When I sent him to Hull, I watched him every single game and all the reports I had were very positive. I was quite surprised no club went for him because I would have let him go." - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in September 2012.

Trivia: According to Arsenal's official website, if Mannone "wasn't a footballer he would be a gardener".