Matt Turner is going to have some big decisions to make this offseason.
When Turner got the chance to join Arsenal last summer, nobody could fault him for saying yes. It was, in some ways, the culmination of an incredible rags-to-riches tale that would’ve been difficult to make up.
But in other, highly important ways, it was very much not the culmination. Turner was making the leap to Europe relatively late at age 28, but he had every reason to believe he could enjoy a long and fruitful career abroad.
But will that ever happen at Arsenal?
Turner was always facing an uphill battle for consistent minutes with the Gunners, and the 2022-23 season has done little to dispel that notion. Aaron Ramsdale is firmly entrenched as the starter and Arsenal is the favorite to win the Premier League right now.
With all of his USMNT competitors playing every week, it is worth considering how long Turner can afford to be a backup — especially when it seems pretty clear he could start for more than a few clubs in top-five European leagues.
Turner has previously spoken of how much he’s grown in north London from training alone, but there is a limit to that particular benefit.
This week’s Five leads with a troubling week for Turner, who looks to have played his last game this season.