Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech to retire at the end of the season

Arsenal veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech has announced that he will hang up his boots at the end of the current season. The 36-year-old goalie joined Arsenal in the summer of 2015 after having spent eleven years at London rivals Chelsea. "Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve," Cech said. "I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season." The former Czech international started the season as the first-choice goalie at the Gunners, but then was replaced by new signing Bernd Leno. Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Cech came close to ending his career in 2006, when he suffered a skull fracture after a collision with an opponent. He was out for three months after going through surgery and since then he has always worn a protective headguard during matches. The goalkeeper added: "This is my 20th season as a professional player and it has been 20 years since I signed my first professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire. I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch." Cech arrived in England in 2004, when Chelsea signed him from French club Rennes. He won no less than thirteen trophies with the Blues, including a Champions League and four Premier League titles. He has recorded 228 clean sheets in all competitions at Chelsea, and that is a club record. He was relegated to the bench by Thibaut Courtois, so he decided to join Arsenal, where he managed to win the FA Cup in 2017. "For your consummate professionalism, for being the perfect role model, for the 50 clean sheets, for your honesty, your integrity and for your inspiring work with the Arsenal Foundation, we want to say - thank you Petr Cech," Arsenal tweeted. The goalie has made 12 appearances for the Gunners this season, but his most recent Premier League start was on 29 September. Arsenal are currently fifth in the Premier League table and they are 7/1 at Bet365 to grab a top-four finish this season.