Chelsea's Cech set for Arsenal medical

The north Londoners have been locked in negotiations for the goalkeeper and are nearing an agreement, with the Czech ready to end his 11-year stay at Stamford Bridge


Petr Cech will undergo a medical on Friday before completing a move to Arsenal next week after the Gunners agreed a fee with Chelsea for the veteran goalkeeper.

The Czech Republic international has already agreed personal terms with the north Londoners and is on the verge of ending his 11-year association with the Blues.

Despite having just one year left on his contract, Chelsea hope to receive as much as £15 million (€21m) for the 33-year-old, who was desperate for first-team football after being usurped by Thibaut Courtois.

Goal first revealed that Cech had asked to join Arsenal at the start of June, with the veteran goalkeeper not only keen to re-establish himself as No.1 but also wary of uprooting his young family.

Jose Mourinho was publicly against the idea of allowing Cech to join a rival, but the final decision lay with Roman Abramovich who sanctioned the move due to his friendship with the keeper and out of respect for his long and successful career at Stamford Bridge.

Cech has won the Premier League four times with the Blues since joining from Rennes in 2004, also lifting the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League.

His departure leaves Chelsea in need of a new No.2, and the club have already identified Stoke City's wantaway shot-stopper Asmir Begovic as a possible target.

Arsenal, meanwhile, could now offload David Ospina despite his strong form in the second half of the season, with rumoured interest from Fenerbahce, while Wojciech Szczesny is seen as a more capable deputy to Cech.