Arsenal Transfer News: Almunia joins West Ham on one month emergency loan

West Ham United have signed Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on an initial one month emergency loan, the club announced today. Almunia will wear the No.13 jersey and will travel with the squad to face Crystal Palace.

A statement on the club’s website read:

“West Ham United have signed vastly-experienced goalkeeper Manuel Almunia on an initial one-month emergency loan from Arsenal.”

The Championship club manager Sam Allardyce decided to bring in the Spanish international after it became clear that Robert Green will face six weeks on the sidelines with a knee cartilage injury.

Almunia joined Arsenal in 2004 from Spanish club Celta Vigo and featured in a few important matches for the Gunners, including the 2006 Champions League final when he came for Robert Pires after first choice goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was sent off in the 20th minute. Of late, his performances dipped and with the consequent rise of Wojciech Szczesny as Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper, Almunia was limited mainly to cup appearances.

However, Sam Allardyce welcomed the ‘vastly experienced’ goalkeeper and said:

“It’s a big ‘Thank you’ again to Arsene Wenger and Arsenal for allowing us to get such a high-class and experienced goalkeeper to come in and fill-in for Robert for the time being. I think he hasn’t had as many games at Arsenal as he would have liked so he wants to play first-team football at the end of the day.

“We hope that huge amount of experience he has had at Arsenal and the football he has played on a regular basis will stand us in good stead here at West Ham and more and more clean sheets will come from his presence in goal. That will obviously help us to secure more victories while Robert is out.”

Almunia will join his Arsenal teammate Henri Lansbury, who is also on loan at West Ham.