KEY POINTS

  • Matthew Ryan hopes to return to Arsenal next season
  • Ryan is seen as a solid backup goalie for the Gunners
  • Mikel Arteta seems to have the final say on keeping Ryan permanently

Given the choice, it appears Matthew Ryan would want to make his loan spell with Arsenal permanent.

The 29-year-old has performed well at the Emirates Stadium after he was loaned out by Brighton & Hove Albion in January.

Admittedly a boyhood fan of Arsenal, the Socceroos goalkeeper was pretty vocal about enjoying his time at the Emirates Stadium.

With his loan spell coming to a close, Ryan is hoping to continue his run with the Gunners, something that could turn out to be a permanent deal.

"Have had a blast with this last chapter experiencing all that's been involved in representing Arsenal," he wrote on Twitter. "Have learned so much and enjoyed every minute of it. I look forward to continuing the relationships well into the future. Excited for what the future will bring."

Ryan spent the season playing backup goalkeeper to Bernd Leno. He made three appearances, conceding the first one via a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.

He went on to hold his own by staving off Fulham (1-1) and then owning a clean sheet against Newcastle two months ago.

The Australian player’s move to Arsenal caught everyone by surprise. It all started when Brighton expressed interest in Emilio Martinez, despite the outstanding performance of Ryan.

Graham Porter overlooked what Ryan had to offer, and such is expected to result in a permanent transfer elsewhere.

For now, nothing has been made official on whether Gunners manager Mikel Arteta would work on a deal to permanently acquire the Socceroos goalie.

But seeing that Brighton seems content with Robert Sanchez as it's No. 1, it may all boil down to the asking price of the Seagulls for the Aussie footballer.

Mathew Ryan of Arsenal
Mathew Ryan of Arsenal Getty Images | Marc Atkins

A couple of weeks ago, Arsenal planned to hold talks with Brighton on a potential deal for Ryan.

Although he holds low chances of being the first-choice shot-stopper, Ryan is a solid and dependable backup who has proven the ability to defend the penalty box.

Also, he could be insurance if Leno does leave the Emirates Stadium.

Meanwhile, the future of Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson is also unclear, meaning working on a deal for Ryan could be worth looking into for Arteta.

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