Goalkeeper Matt Turner has revealed his love affair with Arsenal was sparked when he bought the video game FIFA… and they were the first team that appeared on screen.

The America international swapped MLS for the Premier League this summer, joining Mikel Arteta’s side from New England Revolution.

He was already an Arsenal fan, however, having fallen in love with the Gunners as a teenager.

The 28-year-old revealed: ‘After the World Cup in 2010 I bought my first game of FIFA and when it says – ‘What club do you want to support or select?’ – obviously ‘A’ came up first and Arsenal was there! But also I made that connection because my sisters both played for a local club team that was called The Arsenal, and so I just made that connection right there and kind of stuck with it.’

Turner would get up early to watch Arsenal matches and was later sucked into the ‘pub culture’ of football fandom.

‘Obviously through the early 2010s there were some really great times to be an Arsenal fan and I would get up nice and early, depending on when the kick-off was,’ he said.

‘The 12.30pm kick-off here was 7.30am (in the US), so anytime Arsenal were playing I was doing my best to watch. As I got a bit older I got into the pub culture in New York City and I have been around the fans for those types of atmospheres as well.’

Turner arrived as back-up to Aaron Ramsdale and his chances have so far been limited to the Europa League.

The American is set to start Thursday’s clash with PSV, when Arsenal can secure passage to the knockout stages with a win.