Portsmouth linked with £40m-Rated Arsenal Man In Race With QPR And Preston North End Despite Stacked Options
Pompey are said to be racing Championship rivals and relegated La Liga side Real Valladolid for the former Reading man – but there’s plenty which doesn’t stack up about the transfer talk.
Pompey have been linked with a move for keeper Karl Hein as he’s touted for a switch away from Arsenal.
In one of the most unlikely transfer stories of the summer so far, the Blues were this morning credited with being interested in a bid for the Estonian international.
Unlikely Arsenal keeper link after La Liga stay
Pompey were one of a trio of Championship teams mentioned in association with the 23-year-old, along with Preston, QPR and Spanish outfit Real Valladolid.
According to SportsBoom, the imminent arrival of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea will allow Hein to leave the Emirates this summer.
Arsenal are said to value Hein at £1m, after his signed an extension to his existing agreement with the Gunners last summer.
The talk of a Blues move for Hein seems doubtful, however, given the goalkeeping department is one of the few which doesn’t require further surgery this summer.
Pompey handed Ben Killip a new two-year deal last month after his arrival in January, to give them four decent options between the sticks going into the 2025-26 season.
Pompey keeper department one of few which doesn’t need transfer attention
Austrian Nico Schmid has been a revelation in his maiden campaign at Fratton Park, after displacing Will Norris and his form flying in the wake of 400,000 Euro deal being sealed with BW Linz.
Jordan Archer made three appearances, including two Championship outings, last term and was used as Pompey’s back-up keeper option on the bench for most of the campaign.
Archer, who joined when his deal with QPR came to a close, still has 12 months to run on the two-year he agreed when moving to PO4.
The other senior keeper in the building is one being touted for a bright future in the shape of academy graduate Toby Steward.
Steward picked up National League South playing time with Tonbridge Angels last term, before stepping up a division in a stint with Wealdstone.
League One side Crawley then made their move for the former Henry Cort Community College pupil in April, with the 20-year-old showing he was more than ready for the step up to the third tier.
Steward made four appearances in West Sussex, with Crawley picking up three wins and a draw at champions Birmingham City in that period.
Hein came through the ranks at FC Nomme United in Estonia, where he came to the attention of Arsenal – earning himself a move to north London in 2018.
The 6ft 4in keeper made one senior start in his time at the club, however in a Carabao Cup defeat at Brighton in November 2022.
That hasn’t halted Hein’s progress at international level, however, picking up 37 Estonia caps to date.
He also had loan spells with Reading in the Championship in the 2021-22 campaign and a testing temporary stay with Real Valladolid last term, as they finished bottom of La Liga – a whopping 25 points from safety after winning four games all season.
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