London: Arsene Wenger has been through seven goalkeepers since Arsenal last won the Premier League 11 years ago. During the same period, Petr Cech has won four championship medals, four FA Cups, the Champions League, the Europa League and three League Cups.

It could all have been so different if Wenger and Arsenal had moved a bit quicker after the son of first-team coach Boro Primorac had raved about the ability of the goalkeeper playing with him at Rennes.

“When Petr went to Chelsea we were interested, as the guy who brought him to England is a good friend of mine,” said Wenger. “One of the guys who was the agent told me there was an exceptional keeper at Rennes.

“Also, one of my assistants, Boro Primorac, his son was a player in Rennes and he said they had a very good goalkeeper. So we knew, but I think Chelsea were a bit quicker than us and there was a work permit issue.”

Now, Wenger has finally got his man and Arsenal have a top-class goalkeeper for the first time since Jens Lehmann helped the Gunners go through an entire Premier League season unbeaten, in 2003-2004.

Cech may be 33, but there is a feeling he can play at the top level for at least another four years and prove to be just as influential in the final years of his career at Arsenal as Edwin van der Sar was for Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, had tried 10 goalkeepers since Peter Schmeichel before signing 34-year-old Van der Sar from Fulham. The Dutchman played at Old Trafford for six years, winning four Premier League titles, the Champions League and the League Cup.

“Petr’s move is a bit like Van der Sar at that age,” said Wenger. “He went from Fulham to Manchester United and still had five or six years in him there. So I don’t see why Petr should not have a few years, he is very serious, trains well and has no big problem.”

Arsenal have not had a goalkeeper who puts fear into strikers since Lehmann. Wojciech Szczesny has the raw ingredients to be a top goalkeeper, but not yet the mentality, and has moved on loan to Roma to gain experience.

Manuel Almunia, Mart Poom, Vito Mannone, Lukasz Fabianski, Damian Martinez and, most recently, David Ospina possessed different degrees of talent, but none of them had a presence.

“Petr has a good combination between quality, agility, size. He looks like he was built for English football,” said Wenger. “I think he is a very bright goalkeeper as well. He has an intimidating presence, that is for sure. He makes the goals look small. That’s the kind of charisma he has. He is a big size.”

Cech has Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, to thank for allowing him to make the £10 million (Dh57 million) move to title rivals Arsenal. The transfer was a reward for 11 years of incredible service, but Lehmann believes the Czech Republic international will quickly have to forget any attachment with the Blues if he is to have similar success at the Emirates.

“Before you can have it in your heart to win titles again, you have to get rid of the love you had before,” said Lehmann. “As a professional, he must get over his relationship with Chelsea and needs to know that Arsenal want him to win things again for them. That is not an easy thing to get over psychologically — it can take a few weeks, even a few months for a player.”

It is understood that, rather than being daunted by the prospect of facing his old club so soon, in Sunday’s Community Shield, Cech is relieved to get the occasion out of the way quickly.

Having initially recommended that Cech should either not be sold or be forced to move abroad, Mourinho claims he eventually changed his stance to fall in line with Abramovich’s belief that the player should be able to choose his next destination.

Perhaps the biggest indicator that Mourinho believes Cech’s signing could be important for Arsenal is the fact he was reluctant to talk about his former player ahead of Sunday’s game.

“I shouldn’t speak about it,” said Mourinho. “It’s done. It’s explained. We know why the club agree. We know that in the first phase I completely disagree.

“However, we know that later on I understood the reasons behind the decision and I change my position. So nothing more to say about it.”

Mourinho did, however, dismiss the theory that Cech’s successful record at Chelsea would now benefit their London rivals. “For me, what is a winning mentality? I never know very, very well what it is,” said Mourinho.

“It’s difficult to describe what is a winning mentality. Everybody wants to win, everybody works to win, everybody has ambition to win.

“Not everybody wins, not everybody wins regularly and so many times, but it is difficult to describe what is a winning mentality and what contributes to a winning mentality.

“The only way during my career I feel I can contribute to a winning mentality is the way we work.”

Asked what reception Cech should receive from the Chelsea supporters at Wembley, Mourinho shrugged off the question in similar fashion, saying: “I’m not interested. I’m interested in the reception Chelsea fans will give to Chelsea players. I’m not interested.”

One suspects that Abramovich and Chelsea have done Arsenal a big favour. Just how big may be slightly clearer after Sunday’s game.

— The Daily Telegraph