Ex-Arsenal star Szczesny crying when Wenger sold him now searching for new club

Wojciech Szczesny has been left in transfer limbo after new Juventus manager Thiago Motta made it clear he is not wanted at the club.

Motta was appointed Juventus manager in June after guiding Bologna to fifth place in Serie A last season. The former midfielder has wasted no time in letting the Juve players know where they stand, with the announcement of the squad for a pre-season camp in Germany showing the lay of the land.

Szczesny has been left off the list alongside the likes of Gleison Bremer, Douglas Luiz, Federico Chiesa and Weston McKennie. But while the others are recovering from injuries or have been given more time to recover from their exploits at Euro 2024 or the Copa America, Szczesny has essentially been shown the door by the new Juve boss.

Szczesny is away on holiday in Marbella with his family after playing for Poland at Euro 2024, yet his time off has a different focus: finding a new club. A move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr broke down last week after the 34-year-old goalkeeper had already agreed a two-year contract worth €19million (£16m) per year.

The former Arsenal player has one year left on his Juve contract but Al-Nassr could not agree to a transfer fee. Szczesny has been offered hope of another move, though, with Monza chief executive Adriano Galliani openly courting his services. “I don't know,” Galliani told reporters. “Frankly I haven't spoken yet with the player [but] he knows our interest. I’ll speak with someone else and let's see.”

Szczesny joined Juventus in 2017 from Arsenal after spending two seasons on loan at Roma. He has been a hugely important player for the Turin club, making 252 appearances while winning eight trophies, including three Serie A titles.

He has found a home in Italy after initially struggling with the departure from Arsenal – a club he joined as a 16-year-old from Legia Warsaw in 2006. Szczesny was shipped out by Arsene Wenger in 2017 and found the nature of the exit very difficult.

“I cried when I left Arsenal,” he told Polish podcast Food Truck last month. “It was the end of my dream of playing for this club all my life. If I could write my career over again, I would probably only spend it at Arsenal. Now I don’t regret that it happened, because I did well both sportingly and financially. However, it was a very difficult moment for me.” Szczesny made 181 first-team appearances for Arsenal and won the FA Cup in 2014 and 2015.

Szczesny famously clashed with Wenger in 2015 after he was caught smoking a cigarette in the showers after a 2-0 defeat against Southampton. Wenger was furious and dropped the goalkeeper while also fining him £20,000.