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Petr Cech Announces Decision To Retire At The End Of The Season

By THEMIRROR
Football News Petr Cech Announces Decision To Retire At The End Of The Season
JAN 15, 2019 LISTEN

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has announced that he will retire from playing at the end of the season.

The veteran shot-stopper revealed his decision on social media on Tuesday, declaring that after 20 years as a professional, he had elected to call time on a trophy-laden career.

"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 at the end of the season.

"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.

"I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season, then I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch."

Cech, who has 124 caps for his country, arrived in the Premier League in 2004, after Chelsea spent £7million to take him from Rennes.

He spent 11 years at Stamford Bridge, winning four Premier League crowns, four FA Cups and three League Cups.

He also played his part as the Blues became the first London club to win the Champions League, saving a crucial extra-time penalty from Arjen Robben in the final win over Bayern Munich in 2012.

He was part of the side that won the Europa League in 2013 also.

His final season at Chelsea, 2014-15, saw him lose his place to Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian replacing Cech in much the same manner that he himself had displaced Carlo Cudicini after arriving in England.

That led Cech to swap Chelsea for Arsenal, joining the Gunners in a £10million deal; Cech's desire to remain in London and his relationship with Blues owner Roman Abramovich - after 494 appearances for the club - proving pivotal to the switch being sanctioned.

Cech has since made 129 appearances for Arsenal, winning the FA Cup in 2017.

But this term he has lost his place as first-choice, new boss Unai Emery preferring £19million summer signing Bernd Leno.

Cech currently holds the Premier League record for most clean sheets, having kept 202 during his 15 years in England.

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