Wojciech Szczesny discusses Arsenal future and explains how Roma loan move helped him

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has hinted that his future at the Emirates still remains uncertain and he will make a decision after the Gunners reveal their plans for him for the next season.

Arsene Wenger signed Petr Cech from Chelsea in 2015 and the arrival of the Czech Republic international saw Szczesny become the third choice keeper, behind Cech and David Ospina. The Frenchman allowed the 27-year-old to join AS Roma on loan the same summer and has been with the Serie A outfit for the last two seasons.

The Independent earlier reported that Roma have not taken up the option of signing the Poland international on a permanent transfer in the summer. This has forced Szczesny to return to his parent club after the end of the season.

"When I have my head on the 2017-18 season, then we make a decision – first Arsenal has to and then I have to. I want to make sure I take my time, clear my head of this season, and then focus on doing the right thing. What that is time will show," Szczesny told the Guardian.

On his return to Arsenal, the keeper will be fighting with Cech and Ospina for a place in the starting lineup. The north London club could retain Szczesny as the Colombian international has already expressed his desire to leave the Gunners in search of regular playing time.

The Polish keeper has improved his game during his time in the Italian capital. This season, he has kept 14 clean sheets and is leading the charts for the most clean sheets in the league. Szczesny has explained that he was right to leave Arsenal and join Roma on loan as he believes he could not have improved his game if he had continued at the Emirates.

"I think I can be better now than I thought I could be when I was back at Arsenal. I have grown more than I would have hoped for. Now I think with the right work, the right attitude, I can go a long way. I always want to be the best, but now I feel a bit closer to it," he said.

"I could have stayed in an environment that was going negatively for me. Instead the opportunity that came gave me a fresh start."

"You get a new perspective. You get new coaches and influences. You learn new drills. You do new things. Now I am very happy that it happened, even if the first impression was that I might be out of Arsenal, which was very painful. Now I think it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.

"The one thing I want to do is make sure I don't stay still... I was quite still for five years – sometimes I played better, sometimes worse, sometimes phenomenal, sometimes rubbish. I am 27, the best I have ever been, I still have room to improve and I want to make sure that room doesn't stay empty. I want to go into that room. It feels like a big moment."