Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Sam Tickle before the summer transfer window closes on Friday night, according to The Athletic. With the departure of Karl Hein on loan and the potential exit of Aaron Ramsdale, the Gunners are in the market for another goalkeeper, and the young England international has caught their eye.
Tickle had an impressive season with Wigan Athletic, where he was named Player of the Season after helping the team secure a 12th-place finish in League One. This achievement is even more remarkable considering Wigan started the campaign with an eight-point deduction. The 22-year-old goalkeeper played a crucial role for the club, keeping 18 clean sheets in 52 appearances. His performances also earned him a debut for the England under-21 team in March 2024, where he helped secure a dominant 7-0 victory over Luxembourg in a European Under-21 Championship qualification match.
Arsenal see Tickle as a strong candidate to become their third-choice goalkeeper, especially as they continue to consider Espanyol’s Joan Garcia as a potential replacement for Ramsdale as the second-choice keeper. However, it remains uncertain whether Tickle would be willing to leave his position as a regular starter at Wigan for a backup role at Arsenal.
The Gunners are eager to secure at least one more goalkeeper before the transfer window closes, and Tickle’s profile is appealing not only because of his talent but also because his signing would help bolster Arsenal’s homegrown quota. Earlier in the summer, Arsenal had shown interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Dan Bentley, but negotiations for the former youth player proved difficult.
Tickle, who stands at 6ft 2in, has already made 58 appearances for Wigan since his debut in 2021. Last season, he solidified his position as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, leading to a new four-year contract in May that runs until 2028. Arsenal has been particularly impressed by his reflexes, distribution, and ability to execute long kicks. However, persuading Tickle to leave his current club and join Arsenal this summer could be challenging, given the young goalkeeper’s desire for regular first-team football.