Arsenal FC goalkeeper Petr Cech believes the club can challenge the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United for the English Premier League title next season.
The Czech Republic international, who put pen to paper on a four-year deal with Arsenal earlier this week, will move to the Emirates Stadium in a deal reportedly worth £10 million, and will replace David Ospina as the Gunners No. 1 shot-stopper in 2015/16.
Cech kept seven clean sheets in 16 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season.
“I wanted to choose the best option for myself in a football way and Arsenal showed me they really wanted me to join,” Cech told Sky Sports News HQ.
“I spoke to Arsene Wenger and he presented me with a project I believe I want to be part of. Obviously it is a new challenge for me.
“The football reason is the main reason I chose to join because I believe the Premier League is the best league in the world.
“Once I got the offer from the Premier League and from a team who will challenge for titles and try to improve in the Champions League and try to win everything, it matched my personal motivation.
“Having won two FA Cups, it’s a first step and clearly shows the team has the potential to win trophies. Last season, the run Arsenal had in the Premier League from the start of the new year was absolutely brilliant.
“The start of the season was difficult for them and that’s why, in the end, they missed a little bit on challenging for the title.
“It showed a lot of promise and I believe the team has the potential to challenge for the top places with all the teams like Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.”
The arrival of Cech will likely mean a departure for Poland international Wojciech Szczęsny, who list his first-team place after a poor run of form to Ospina last season.
Following the signing of Cech from Chelsea, Polish goalkeeping legend Jan Tomaszewski told Przeglad Sportowy, “Wojciech must be devastated.
“In January I spoke to (Poland boss) Adam Nawalka and he said that Arsene Wenger had told him that if Szczesny worked hard in training he would play again soon.
“It turned out that he didn’t tell the truth. I’m sure that when Szczesny said that he was going to stay at Arsenal, he didn’t know that Cech was going to come because Wenger didn’t tell him about his plans. Szczesny should leave, because it will be waste of time for him, if he stays.”
Arsenal are priced at 5/1 to win the Premier League title in 2015/16.
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