Doping ban for Arsenal's African target reduced, Gunners ready to pounce

After being sentenced with a one-year ban of not playing football, current Ajax employee Andre Onana can be relieved. Well, sort of - he is allowed to return between the posts a bit earlier than expected.

Last October he tested positive for furosemide, a banned diuretic often used as a masking agent to hide the presence of other drugs.

However, he defended by saying he was feeling unwell and took a pill prescribed for his girlfriend from a packet he mistook for aspirin “because the packaging was almost identical.”

Ek will launch another bid for Arsenal, but Kroenke will reject it again

The initial penalty of 12 months not playing has been shortened by 3 months, which is great news for Onana - and potentially for the north London red-and-whites.

Football.london reports that Onana is Arsenal's main goalkeeping target and will be brought in to replace German custodian Bernd Leno.

Leno’s long-term future is uncertain whilst passed season's second goalkeeper Mat Ryan has returned to Brighton & Hove Albion after his loan spell at the Emirates Stadium finished.

The Ajax goalkeeper had been waiting on the verdict before deciding whether to move this summer and now the final say regarding his sentence is that Onana will be able to train from September and play in November after his doping ban appeal was reduced.

Arsenal's interest has been well known for some time with Mikel Arteta reportedly keen to boost his goalkeeping options ahead of next season.

Onana insisted that his breach was an error from the start of the whole case.

"Everything was the result of a human mistake," Onana said.

"Everyone knows that I lead a very healthy life, and since I started my sporting career, I have always been strongly against any use of doping and I condemn any unsportsmanlike conduct.

"I have no need to resort to doping to further enhance my sporting career."

Onana has won two Eredivisie titles with the Amsterdam club and has gone on to make 18 appearances for national side Cameroon.

The 25-year-old has gone on to make 204 appearances since he broke through with the Dutch giants in 2016.

Before the ban was issued, Onana built a reputation of one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in Europe aleady.