Aaron Ramsdale sends clear message to Mikel Arteta as Arsenal 'formalise' first transfer

Aaron Ramsdale has made it clear that he does not want to spend another season on the bench after losing the number one spot to David Raya at Arsenal last term.

The goalkeeper played just six Premier League games over the past year, with only one of those coming after November. Across all competitions, he made just 11 outings with just one coming in the Champions League - a dead rubber final group game against PSV Eindhoven.

Mikel Arteta had initially indicated that the decision to replace Raya with Ramsdale was not necessarily permanent, but the England star’s only league appearance since his axing came as a result of his Spanish colleague being loan-tied against Brentford in March.

Ramsdale’s father spoke out about Arteta’s decision to drop his son in November, saying that the 26-year-old had “lost his smile”. The shot-stopper is expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer with Raya now completing his obligatory transfer to Arsenal.

Despite his dearth of club game time - barely 1,000 minutes - Ramsdale is away with England as the back-up goalkeeper ahead of Euro 2024. Amid the build-up to Sunday’s opener with Serbia, he spoke candidly about the situation he finds himself in at the Gunners.

“No footballer wants to not play,” he said to talkSPORT. 'I’ve had a tough year personally not playing and I never want to do that again. It was tough, it was tough.

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“"But I have my release now, I’m now here, I’ve got the greatest honour, the greatest badge on my chest, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if I play a minute or no minutes, it will be the pinnacle for me, the best day ever.

“For the time being I’m probably one of the happiest 26, 27 men in England and hopefully we can make not just us but however many millions at home the happiest as well."

Newcastle United have been the club most strongly linked with a summer interest in Ramsdale, who is reportedly being valued at around £15m by the Magpies whom could table a five-year deal.

Ramsdale laughed off speculation that a deal with Newcastle had already been agreed last month, writing on his X account that it was “news to me”. It is likely that Arsenal would hold out for more than £15m given he still has two years left on his contract.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are close to completing the permanent signing of Raya from Brentford. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are 'completing formal documents' for the transfer of the first-choice goalkeeper.