Szczesny: I'm not stupid... Arsenal HAD to buy Cech for £10m

The Poland international is on a season-long loan at Roma after Arsene Wenger signed Chelsea's experienced goalkeeper, but the 25-year-old knows the Gunners got a good deal

Wojciech Szczesny does not blame Arsene Wenger for replacing him with Petr Cech, saying that former Chelsea goalkeeper was a bargain for Arsenal.

Szczesny, 25, joined Roma on a season-long loan deal in the summer after Cech left Chelsea for London rivals Arsenal in a £10 million deal.

The Poland international admits that though he wanted to stay at the Emirates and challenge Cech for the No.1 role, he understands why Wenger signed the 33-year-old Champions League winner.

“I'm not stupid – if you buy one of the world's best goalkeepers it's not to keep him on the bench,” he told Polish website futbolfejs.pl.

“I actually wanted to stay and challenge him for the spot but after a conversation with Wenger it was obvious that I should be looking for new opportunities.”

Szczesny – who joined Arsenal as a youth player in 2006 - likened Cech’s fee to signing Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on a cheap deal, and says Wenger must always put Arsenal above any individual player's concerns.

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