Ready to roar: Arsenal’s Vito Mannone has joined Hull City on loan until January
According to Arsenal’s official website, their substitute goalkeeper Vito Mannone has joined the Second Division English team Hull City on loan until January 2011.
The young gun joined the Arsenal in 2005 from Italian side Atalanta and made his English Premier League debut against Stoke City in a 4-1 win last season.
After that, the Italian International received a short stint last year when both of Arsenal’s first choice keepers were side-lined because of injuries. The 22-year-old was shaky to begin with, but was superb in one particular away
fixture at Craven Cottage against Fulham, where Vito Mannone looked unbeatable.
The Italian shot stopper has gone down the pecking order at Emirates, and now sits as the fourth choice goalkeeper after the emergence of the young sensation Wojciech Szczesny.
Vito Mannone revealed earlier this month that he would seek a loan move to get some first team experience.
The Italian shot stopper said: "I don't get regular playing time at Arsenal. I would consider a six-month loan deal just to play.
"I am happy in London. I love the Premier League. But I get annoyed when I don't play, it's not as if the other two [Almunia and Fabianski] do that well.
"But if I've signed a contract extension until 2014 it is because they must value me."
The young goalie is a commanding goalkeeper, blessed with extraordinary reactions, and exhibited last campaign what he is capable of. Irrespective of having a small inclination to be shaky of set pieces, which should diminish with experience, the young gun
should prove to be an asset for the relegated English Premier League side.
The Italian has impressed for the Gunners on the occasions he featured in the team, including an eight-match run where the Gunners went unbeaten. He has also played for the Italian Under-21 side.
Like many of Arsenal's goalies, however, Vito has also made significant errors between the posts.
The goalkeeping situation at Emirates has been a subject of much debate following a series of dreadful displays by the club's custodians. Vito himself suffered at Emirates to City and at Wolves last season.
Having turned in man-of-the-match performances against Fulham weeks earlier, the 22-year-old dropped a routine cross allowing a midfielder to steal in and score. Vito then dealt poorly with a Wolves free-kick that resulted in the
Gunners dropping two points.
However, during his eight appearances, the Gunners never lost and Mannone, who signed a new deal last winter, earned an Under-21 recognition for his country in 2010.
The stopper will immediately join up with Hull City and will stay on loan with Nigel Pearson’s side until January 3.
Arsenal's current owner of the No. 1 jersey, Manuel Almunia, is out of action with an elbow injury, opening the door for Lukasz Fabianski who has so far impressed fans and football pundits alike.
Calls remain, though, for Arsenal to sign a more reliable No. 1 with a bid for Fulham's Mark Schwarzer likely to rekindle in the January transfer window.
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