According to The Athletic, Arsenal is interested in signing Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle before the summer transfer window closes on Friday. The Gunners are looking to add another goalkeeper following Karl Hein’s loan departure and the potential exit of Aaron Ramsdale. Tickle, a promising young England international, has caught their attention.
Tickle had a standout season with Wigan Athletic, earning the Player of the Season title after helping the team finish 12th in League One, despite starting the season with an eight-point deduction. The 22-year-old keeper played a key role, keeping 18 clean sheets in 52 games. His performances also earned him a debut with the England under-21 team in March 2024, where he contributed to a 7-0 win over Luxembourg in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
Arsenal views Tickle as a strong candidate for their third-choice goalkeeper position, while also considering Espanyol’s Joan Garcia as a possible replacement for Ramsdale as second-choice. However, it is unclear if Tickle would be willing to leave his regular starting role at Wigan for a backup position at Arsenal.
Arsenal is keen to sign at least one more goalkeeper before the transfer window closes, and Tickle’s profile is attractive not only for his skill but also for boosting the team’s homegrown quota. Arsenal had previously shown interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Dan Bentley, but talks did not progress.
Tickle, who is 6ft 2in, has made 58 appearances for Wigan since his debut in 2021. He became the club’s first-choice keeper last season, leading to a new four-year contract that extends until 2028. Arsenal has been impressed by his reflexes, distribution, and long kicks, but convincing him to leave Wigan for a backup role at Arsenal could be difficult given his desire for regular first-team football.
