Edu has earned Arsenal a £2million windfall after Fulham secured their Premier League status, according to the Mirror. The Gunners are due this payment for Bernd Leno, following the Cottagers' successful fight against relegation.

Arsenal received a similar bonus last season and are now poised to benefit again from the add-ons negotiated in the initial £8m deal back in August 2022. Fulham paid just £3m upfront for the German shot-stopper, with the remaining £1m contingent on appearances.

Since his move to Craven Cottage, the 32-year-old has been in impressive form, earning him a new long-term contract until summer 2027. Marco Silva's side, who are now targeting a second successive top-half finish, made sure of survival on Sunday when they completed a memorable double over West Ham.

Only David Raya has kept more clean sheets (12) than Leno (nine) in the Premier League this season. Nearly four years ago, the German suffered a serious knee injury in a dramatic 2-1 defeat for Arsenal at Brighton, marking the start of Project Restart in June 2020.

Despite the heroics of replacement Emiliano Martinez, who later helped the Gunners lift the FA Cup, the former Bayer Leverkusen man somehow outlasted his Argentine rival following a £20m switch to Aston Villa. But Mikel Arteta decided it was time for change in the summer of 2022 when he signed Aaron Ramsdale from relegated Sheffield United for £24m.

Since then, the England international has lost his place between the sticks to Raya at the Emirates Stadium while Leno is now a regular across the capital at Craven Cottage. The German shot-stopper has since claimed he 'wanted to fight for his place' at the Emirates Stadium but was left powerless.

Speaking of his own personal experience at Arsenal, Leno opened up on the ordeal back in September during an honest interview with The Times. He said: "At the start of the 2021 season, we lost the first three games and after the international break all of a sudden it was, 'we need to change players and have positive energy'."

Leno suggested similarities between his departure from Arsenal and Ramsdale's ongoing issues. The Fulham ace added: "There were a couple of excuses I didn't understand and I have to say, unfortunately, it's more or less the same with Ramsdale.

"It has happened [again] after the international break. I was thinking, 'that's more or less the same as with me.' I was thinking about Aaron, he's a very good guy. I know how he feels, there are some similarities.

"When I wanted to fight for my place, the goalkeeper coach said, 'you have to leave the club.' When he said it wasn't about performance, I knew straight away I had to leave. I don't know if they didn't want two strong 'keepers. I had one year left on my contract. So it was the last time to make money off me."

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