Football
Mattias Karen, Arsenal correspondent 7y

Wojciech Szczesny: I'd love to be back at Arsenal next season

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has told BT Sport he'd "love to be back" at Arsenal next season after his loan spell at Roma ends.

Szczesny has spent the last two seasons in Serie A after Arsene Wenger brought in Petr Cech as his new No. 1, but the Poland international says that he's open to returning to London.

"I'm happy here [at Roma]. I feel that I'm growing as a goalkeeper, but for me the time to make a decision will come in the summer," Szczesny said.

"For now I'm an Arsenal player, so as soon as my loan finishes I have to come back and I've always said I'd love to be back there. But what will happen definitely won't be decided now, but in a month or two months' time."

A return to Arsenal could happen if David Ospina leaves the club this summer after spending the last two years as Cech's backup. However, Szczesny could also be reluctant to take on a backup role, having been widely hailed as one of the best goalkeepers in Serie A this season.

Szczesny said his stint in Italy has helped him "mature as a player" after he was dropped in favour of Ospina following some high-profile mistakes during the 2014-15 season.

"I came here after a terrible season. I was in a bad moment. It was a good chance for me to re-launch my career," he said, adding that this has been the best season of his life. "I'd say so, yeah. In terms of consistency, it definitely is. In terms of quality, I feel at my best."

But in terms of being the best goalkeeper in Serie A, Szczesny said that title still belongs to Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon.

"There are goalkeepers on an unbelievable level here. I wouldn't dare compare myself to Buffon, not as a man and not as a keeper. I'd never make that statement, no," he said.

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