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Standard de Liège goalkeeper Arnaud Bodart is now a FC Metz player. A first recruit of the winter that looks like a good move for the club.
There you have it, the first winter recruit of the FC Metz ! And it is rather unexpected, as the needs were not necessarily pressing in this position. Arnaud Bodart26-year-old goalkeeper for Standard de Liège, signed his contract with the club in recent hours and becomes the fourth goalkeeper in the Metz squad. According to the Belgian media Sudinfo and the journalist Sacha Tavolieri, his contract runs for six months with an option of an additional year unlocked immediately in the event of promotion to Ligue 1.
The native of Seraing had until now spent his entire life on his land, on the banks of the Meuse, and in his lifelong club: Standard. Arrived in 2008 at the Liège training center, Arnaud Bodart continued to climb the youth categories until signing his first professional contract in 2017. Time has passed and the goalkeeper has carved out a special place among the starters, accumulating no less than 190 matches in all competitions. in seven years, with a few participations in European meetings… and three call-ups to the national team, in 2023 and 2024! Without any playing time in the jersey of his country however.
The challenges of Arnaud Bodart’s arrival at FC Metz
The arrival ofArnaud Bodart will undeniably reshuffle the cards at the goalkeeper position. The Belgian’s curriculum vitae plays a priori in his favor, can he therefore immediately establish himself as the new holder? Nothing is less certain from a physical point of view: the latter is slowly recovering from a tear in his adductor muscles contracted at the beginning of December. But the coach Stéphane Le Mignan assured him at a press conference this Thursday morning: he is counting on him for the crucial match against FC Lorient, leader of the championship, this Saturday January 11 at 8 p.m.
Something to spare the Alexandre Oukidja and others Pope Sy…for a time only. The first sees his contract end at the end of the season and, according to initial trends, should not be renewed. The second certainly made a good appearance during the match against Pau on January 4 (0-0), but his performances are still a little short of claiming a starting place. As for the young Alexis Mirbachtrained at the club, a loan outside the FC Metz would be – for the moment – privileged.
The arrival of the latter could then prove to be a good pick for the second part of the season but also for the future, as part of a potential rise to the next level… A hypothesis to be confirmed on the ground from now on.
Photo : FC Metz
