Matt Turner has been enjoying his professional soccer career in the United States of America since 2014. Between 2014 and 2022, he had served as a goalkeeper at four different American clubs.
Currently, the 27-year-old American goalkeeper is playing for Major League Soccer side New England Revolution. He joined the club on March 3, 2016, on a free transfer from Fairfield Stags.
While at the MLS club, Matt Turner went on loan to Richmond Kicker in 2016 and 2017. Between 2017 and 2022, the American soccer star was very stable at New England Revolution.
Since he has been at New England Revolution, Matt Turner has played a total of 106 games for the MLS side in which he conceded 139 goals and kept 23 clean sheets.
While at Richmond Kicker, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had the opportunity of playing 27 times in which he conceded 27 goals and kept 7 clean sheets.
Turner’s performance at New England earned him a place in the United States Men’s Soccer Team (USMNT). The goalkeeper made his debut for the team on February 1, 2021. Since then, he has made 16 appearances in which he conceded 6 goals and kept 11 clean sheets.
Due to his consistency for both club and country, he was made the first choice goalkeeper of the soccer national team and is expected to lead the team to the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
When his fans were thinking that he would concentrate on keeping his number one spot in the national team, Matt Turner was thinking of how to actualize his dream which is to play for Arsenal.
The dream finally came through recently when Arsenal agreed to pay New England Revolution the sum of €6.36 million for the services of the goalkeeper.
From going undrafted to signing for @Arsenal. The come up is real for @headdturnerr.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 11, 2022
The #USMNT keeper will join the Premier League side this summer. pic.twitter.com/T34UOvgP8n
Turner is expected to remain at New England Revolution until July 1, 2022, before he will travel to London to continue with his soccer career at Arsenal.
Matt Turner will have to battle for a starting shirt against Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. If he is not able to unseat the 23-year-old English goalkeeper ahead of next season, he would have to play a second fiddle to Ramsdale which might affect his chances of keeping his shirt in USMNT ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Matty’s a Gunner.
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) February 11, 2022
Congrats on the big move, @headdturnerr! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/ahIXPJZizv
“I always want to be able to challenge myself at the highest level I possibly can”, Matt Turner said.
“It’s been tough for goalkeepers to get moves. So I understand, I’m 27 and it’s something that I really want to do and really want to accomplish.
“At the same time, going into a World Cup year, you have to play smart.
“Going overseas and getting into a situation where maybe I’m not playing, or maybe I don’t adapt well to being in a foreign country before a World Cup might be challenging.
“There’s a lot of things I can take from [the U.S.] and apply with the Revolution for the rest of 2022, and then going into a World Cup, after a World Cup, we can revisit.
“But next 12 months, next four months, next whatever, if it make sense I would love to.”
Just as Turner is not sure of his chances at Arsenal, Bernd Leno, Arsenal’s current second-choice goalkeeper, is not sure of his chances. The German goalkeeper will turn 30-year-old on March 4, 2022, and coach Mikel Arteta seems to be cutting off players in their 30s.
Recall that this season alone, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sead Kolasinac, and Calum Chambers. Hence, with the arrival of Turner to Arsenal this summer, Leno is most likely to leave the Premier League club this summer.
Leno who has been at Arsenal since July 1, 2018, has until June 30, 2023, before his contract with the north London club expires.
