BREAKING✅✅: A 26-year-old Arsenal star, valued at £84M, has decided to leave the club due to a surprising betrayal by Arteta. He joins two other academy players who have also been let down by Mikel Arteta.
Aaron Ramsdale has expressed his desire not to spend another season on the bench after losing his starting spot to David Raya at Arsenal last season.
Ramsdale featured in just six Premier League games last year, with only one appearance after November. Across all competitions, he played in 11 matches, including one Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven when the result was inconsequential.
Initially, Mikel Arteta suggested that Ramsdale’s replacement by Raya might not be permanent. However, Ramsdale’s only league appearance since being dropped was due to Raya being ineligible to play against Brentford in March.
In November, Ramsdale’s father criticized Arteta’s decision to drop his son, stating that the 26-year-old goalkeeper had “lost his smile.” With Raya now finalizing his transfer to Arsenal, Ramsdale is expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.
Despite limited playing time—just under 1,000 minutes—Ramsdale is with the England squad as the backup goalkeeper for Euro 2024. Ahead of the opener against Serbia, he spoke openly about his situation at Arsenal.
“No footballer wants to not play,” Ramsdale told talkSPORT. “I’ve had a tough year personally not playing and I never want to do that again. It was tough, it was tough.
“But I have my release now, I’m here with England, wearing the greatest badge. Whether I play or not, it will be the pinnacle for me.”
Newcastle United has shown strong interest in Ramsdale, reportedly valuing him at around £15 million and considering a five-year deal. Ramsdale dismissed rumors of an agreement with Newcastle last month, stating on his X account that it was “news to me.” Given Ramsdale has two years remaining on his contract, Arsenal is likely to seek a higher fee.
Meanwhile, Arsenal is nearing the permanent signing of Raya from Brentford. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are completing the necessary paperwork to finalize the transfer of their first-choice goalkeeper.