Fulham guaranteeing their Premier League status for another season would not normally be a topic high on Arsenal’s list of concerns.
But the Cottagers’ 2-0 victory over West Ham in their last match, which ensured they will remain in the top flight next term, means that the Gunners are now owed £2million from their London rivals.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno made the move to Craven Cottage from Arsenal in a £8m agreement in August 2022, with the deal also including performance-related add-ons, including a survival fee.
As a result, Fulham only paid an initial £3m up front to secure Leno’s services, before they then had to make their first £2m payment with the club avoiding the drop last season.
With the north Londoners now set to receive the same figure after the Germany international helped to secure his side’s survival once again, there still remains another £1m for the Gunners to claim.
This clause, which would round the £8m deal off, is dependent on league appearances, and it can only be assumed Fulham will have to stump up given that Leno has been a virtual ever-present since joining his current club.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man made 36 league appearances in his first campaign in west London as his side secured a comfortable 12th-place finish, and has played in every single game so far this term.
And the confirmation that Marco Silva’s side are to compete in the top tier next season is Leno’s latest achievement in his hugely successful spell at Fulham. Silva signed a new long-term deal in December until the summer of 2027.
The 32-year-old keeper has also recorded the league’s second-highest number of clean sheets this season with nine, with only Arsenal’s David Raya keeping more with 12.
Leno will be all the more pleased with his progress at Fulham given the difficult circumstances which led to his departure from Arsenal.
Having been first-choice goalkeeper for the north London outfit during his first three seasons for the club after joining in 2018, he then lost his spot to current Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez after suffering a knee injury against Brighton in June 2020.
While Martinez then left for Villa Park at the end of the campaign, Leno’s return to the starting line-up was short lived as manager Mikel Arteta replaced him with new signing Aaron Ramsdale ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Despite this setback, it is Leno who has enjoyed a better time on the pitch of late, with Ramsdale since losing his place to new signing Raya, while the German has established himself across London.
And after Andreas Pereira’s double against West Ham renewed Fulham’s Premier League status, Leno will now look to build on his strong start to life with the club by helping them to secure a top-half finish.