Arsenal snap up Manuel

Arsenal will this week sign Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia from Celta Vigo.

The 27-year-old is valued at £2million by Celta but Arsenal will be able to secure him for £500,000 because they are still owed nearly £1m by the Spanish club from the sale of Brazilian full-back Silvinho three years ago.

Arsene Wenger sees Almunia as an experienced understudy to Jens Lehmann, who was brought in from Borussia Dortmund for £1m a year ago.

The Spaniard's contract runs out next year and rather than risk losing him on a free, Celta have decided to cash in on him now.

He will sign a four-year contract at Highbury and Wenger will want him to provide live competition to Lehmann rather than be content to assume the No2 role.

But his arrival will put question marks against the longterm futures of Stuart Taylor and Graham Stack at Highbury.

Former England Under-21 international Taylor missed much of last season with a shoulder injury but, at 24, he would have expected to be involved at first team level once he proved his fitness in pre-season.

Stack graduated to the full Republic of Ireland squad last season after representing the Under-21s and wants to become the successor to current first choice Shay Given of Newcastle.

But Almunia's arrival will now push him further down the pecking order and both Taylor and Stack will be consulting Wenger about their Arsenal prospects. One of them looks certain to be farmed out on loan to gather more experience.