Arsenal are expected to make several significant sales as Mikel Arteta aims to revamp his squad depth, and one popular star is now certain to depart.
This time one year ago, Aaron Ramsdale was a certain starter at Arsenal, and had impressed between the sticks as he was named in the PFA Team of the Year.
However, Arteta sprung a surprise on everyone when he chose to bring in Brentford goalkeeper David Raya on an initial loan, and the Spaniard took Ramsdale’s place.
After initially struggling, Raya has thrived in recent months, and is set to continue as the Arsenal number one.
Ramsdale has been linked with a move away, and after months of speculation, it is near enough certain that he will end his three-year stay at the Emirates Stadium.
Aaron Ramsdale will leave Arsenal this summer
In his Daily Briefing, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Ramsdale will definitely not be in the Arsenal squad next season.
“There are also some player exits to clarify at Arsenal this summer, with the goalkeeper situation one to watch as they want to find a solution for Aaron Ramsdale. Although there have been replacements like Justin Bijlow linked with the Gunners by some sources, my understanding is that no decision has been made on this yet,” he explained.
“Ramsdale is expected to leave for sure, but there’s nothing advanced with any club yet, so it’s not clear yet how much Arsenal will get for him. Before having a replacement lined up to serve as the backup to David Raya, they want to make sure that they find the best solution possible for Ramsdale.”
Ramsdale was linked with Newcastle, but it now appears that their interest has cooled given his £30m valuation.
Aaron Ramsdale was a good servant for Arsenal despite being dropped
Ramsdale only had two seasons as Arsenal’s number one, but he performed well for the most part, and was a strong signing overall.
Like Raya, Ramsdale caused surprise when he first arrived and usurped Bernd Leno in the pecking order. He joined as a young goalkeeper with two relegations under his belt, but impressed with his reflexes and ball-playing ability compared to the German.
However, Arteta’s ruthlessness meant that he still sought out an upgrade, and Raya’s aggressive positioning and calmness on the ball earned him a spot over Ramsdale.
Nevertheless, the England International was a good signing at the time, and he has improved his own game since joining Arsenal, and will leave as a popular figure amongst the fans.