'I've earned the chance to replace Buffon' - Szczesny

From a reject at Arsenal, to Buffon's replacement - it's been a whirlwind few years for Wojciech Szczesny in Italy. 

In the summer of 2015 he had lost his place as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper to David Ospina and Petr Cech's arrival from Chelsea shunted him further down the pecking order.

Yet in 2018, he is now Juventus' number one, having waited his turn behind Gianluigi Buffon in Turin. 

Despite arguably being at a bigger club, Szczesny told the 'BBC' that his desire was to stay at the Emirates. 

"I wanted to be at Arsenal for my whole career. It is the club I love. It is the club I still support. I gave everything to play there."

"I regret not having done more there," he adds. "I won two FA Cups and a Community Shield but I would have liked to win at least one Premier League title.

"But sometimes you have to think with your brain, not just your heart."

Szczesny was lucky enough to learn from Buffon. 

"There is no better way to learn than watching the best in their job," he says.

"Just to be with him every day in training meant I could see how he prepared for games, how he communicated with his defenders, not just on the pitch but in the dressing room.

"He also helped me to mature. You try to live up to that standard when you are called upon."

"It is easier because I am not Italian. It means I will never be the next Buffon. I will be the new number one goalkeeper of Juventus and that is it. My only thought process is stopping balls flying into the net.

"I don't go into games thinking I can't make a mistake because everyone is going to miss Buffon.

He also believes that he is the man to help continue Juventus' proud history. 

"It is not easy to do but you could say nine wins from nine is what we expected," he says.

"If we play at our level, it is difficult to beat us in the Italian league. We had one tough game away from home in the Champions League and an easy one.

"For now I just want to win trophies and continue the great history of this club. I don't want to be part of the first side to lose a championship for many years."

And while delighted to be in the situation he finds himself in, Szczsney does not envision still being at Juve - or any other club for that matter - until he is 40, as was the case with Buffon.

"I saw the sacrifice Gigi made to train at the highest level last season. When you are 25, everything comes easy to you. When you get past 35, every training session is a sacrifice. I can't see myself doing that."