Roma still in negotiations to resign Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny, confirms Spalletti

Roma manager Luciano Spalletti says the club are still in talks with Arsenal as they attempt to bring Wojciech Szczesny back to the club. Szczesny, 26, joined the Italian side on a season-long loan deal last summer after Petr Cech's arrival at the Emirates.

The Poland international quickly became the club's No1 choice in goal, revelling in his new surroundings as he started 32 league games for the Giallorossi last season.

This week, Roma unveiled new signing Allison, a goalkeeper who was thought to have been brought in to replace Szczesny. The Brazilian however suggested in a press conference he will be going head-to-head with the Gunners goalkeeper next season, rather than taking his spot outright.

Allison joins 38-year-old Bogdan Lobon – who has made just 22 appearances in seven years – as Roma's only current senior goalkeepers. Although it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will let the player go, Spalletti is hopeful of bringing the Pole back to the Stadio Olimpico to strengthen them in that position ahead of the new season.

"Both the goalkeepers [Alisson and Lobont] are strong, but we still don't have Szczesny," Spalletti told reporters, the Evening Standard report.

"We have two strong goalkeepers, so we'll see their reaction but that's always an advantage. We're working on Szczesny, for now we have Lobont."

So far this summer, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky have left the Gunners having been released at the end of their contracts. On Tuesday (11 July), the club also confirmed the departure of former Under-21 captain Isaac Hayden, who has signed for Newcastle United on a four-year deal.