In the summer of 2021, Arsenal paid roughly £24 million for Aaron Ramsdale from relegated Sheffield United. Despite his status as a “relegated goalkeeper” when he arrived at Emirates Stadium, Ramsdale remained unfazed.
However, months into his Arsenal career, he had won over the Gooners. The Emirates faithful adored him for his confidence in playing with his feet, his stunning diving saves, his passionate celebrations, his mocking of opposition fans, and the tight bond he formed with his own followers.
Many forget he joined Arsenal during the toughest years of Arteta’s project. He joined at a time when the Gooners had low expectations for their team. However, by his third year with the club, he had returned the team to Premier League contention.
He led Arsenal to a second-place finish in the 2022–23 Premier League season, winning over everyone. The Gunner decision-makers even opted to offer him a new contract. And when he signed a contract extension last summer, Arsenal fans assumed they had their number one for years. But then an opportunity to sign David Raya, whom Brentford were looking to let go, presented itself, and Arsenal seized it, signing the Spaniard on an initial £3 million loan deal.
Initially, Ramsdale and Raya were competing for a spot on the team. However, once Raya was introduced and grew into the team with his superior goalkeeping, it became difficult to bench him, and Ramsdale lost favor.
Good players do not want to sit on the bench, and after a disappointing 2023-24 season, Ramsdale was eager to leave this summer. He struggled to find a new home, but Southampton, for £18 million plus £7 million in add-ons, have signed him.
The Ramsdale-Arsenal decline was severe and the market harsher, but he can revive his career at Southampton. The Saints are getting a big personality and a powerful keeper. Although they couldn’t work together for a long time, Aaron Ramsdale will be remembered warmly for reviving Arsenal’s soul under coach Mikel Arteta. If he excels at St Marys Stadium, he has the potential to become a premier league and football icon, not just an Arsenal hero.
Darren N
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Very pleased for him – he deserved a move for the sake of his club and international career. Far better for Arsenal to let him leave than for him potentially becoming more and more disgruntled playing second choice with mainly domestic cup games and a few EPL outings.
The reported fee £25m including add-ons is less than the £30m including add-ons Arsenal agreed with Sheffield Utd back in summer 2021, but he’s being sold as Arsenal’s second choice keeper now so it’s probably the best that could have secured in the circumstances.
A very fitting tribute from Darren N
Good luck to you Aaron.
Our goalkeeper situation has been a complete farce, now 4 premier league clubs have ex Arsenal goalkeepers as their first goalkeeper. As much as I now hate Emi Martinez, we should’ve kept him, and saved ourselves at least 20 million.
The benefit of hindsight? When Ramsdale arrived many fans thought that was a step up – until Raya’s arrival. Such is life – and football.
With Ramsdale’s sale now, Arsenal will be looking (very hard) for another No.2 keeper – possibly that’s Neto from Bournemouth on loan which will be considerably cheaper than buying some of the others mentioned in reports.
Wishing all the best, apart from when he plays against us.
I don’t believe Raya and Ramsdale were ever competing for the starting spot.
I agree. The minute Raya signed I think Arteta and Edu both saw him as the first choice (barring disaster) from the start of the initial loan period. There may have been hopes of getting more playing time overall from Ramsdale as well but injury to Raya aside that wasn’t really on and didn’t happen in the end.
I’m glad Ramsdale has found a club in the premiership – he looks to be a good lad and deserves the chance to rebuild his club/international career if he can.
Who is our backup goalkeeper?
Hein shouldn’t have been sent out on loan. He did well in preseason.
The latest I read was that we were trying to get Neto on season long (no buy option/obli.) from Forest due to Espanyol playing hardball on their Olympic hero.
Possibly Neto if Arsenal gets him on loan from Bournemouth.
I think the problem with Hein is that he has hardly any club experience at all, but he’s been capped 30 times since 2020 for Estonia. That must be an odd record of sorts.
Oops, yes, Bournemouth. I just read that Fabrizio says “Here we go” to Neto being a done deal. Espanyol rejecting final bid from us and insisting on release clause.
Ramsdale may be about to set a new record for an international keeper getting relegated.
At least he’ll have plenty to do at Southampton, no time for winding up the fans any more.
I get the feeling there’s something more to know about what happened for Raya to be brought in, but it might just be a pure football decision (the lack of skills with his feet and the self-admitted lack of concentration).
I like Soton as a club and I often feel sorry for them when they find a good managerial talent that gets poached by supposedly bigger clubs, so I hope it goes well for him and his new club.
“Ramsdale may be about to set a new record for an international keeper getting relegated.”. Wow! He hasn’t even had a chance to put his new club shirt on yet.
Following that logic, perhaps we should concede the title to City now?
Well Onyama, still waiting to see this sell on clause???????
Southampton have a steal. We are the clubb that keeps on giving. He was worth 55 million on last seasons transfer market. They value him at 25 now.
Raya was valued 12 Mill Euro last season try check his value this season….
What has that got to do with Ramsdale? Rayas was lower last season because he was in the final year of his contract. Plus we payed 27 mil for Raya?