Aaron Ramsdale has joined Southampton in a permanent move that could net Arsenal up to £25 million. It’s reported the Gunners will receive a guaranteed fee of £18 million, an extra £1 million if the Saints retain their Premier League status and a further £6 million in performance-related add-ons.
The England international moves to St. Mary’s after an eventful three years at Emirates Stadium during which he won over supporters but lost the faith of a manager who pushed the boat out to recruit him.
It’s fair to say there were plenty of sceptics when Ramsdale moved to Arsenal from Sheffield United in a deal worth an initial £24 million. Tasked with challenging Bernd Leno for the number one shirt, Ramsdale usurped the German within weeks of his arrival, in the process helping the Gunners regroup after a terrible start to the 21/22 campaign. While Mikel Arteta’s squad missed out on Champions League qualification, a newfound defensive solidity provided hope for the future.
After William Saliba was added to the mix, Arsenal went to the next level during the following campaign, not only qualifying for Europe’s top competition but mounting a first title challenge in 15 years to push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League. Having kept 14 clean sheets, Ramsdale’s performances earned him a place in the 2022/23 PFA Team of the Year. He added three England caps to his name along the way.
Supporters took it as a given that Ramsdale would continue as the club’s first-choice keeper when pre-season resumed last summer but Mikel Arteta had other ideas. When an opportunity arose to recruit David Raya on loan from Brentford, the Spaniard pushed for the deal, even committing £27 million from his future budget to the cause. Many were left scratching their heads, not least Ramsdale who’d been awarded a new contract two months before.
While Ramsdale started the first four games of the season, Raya took over after the September Interlull and didn’t look back. Aside from two matches against parent club Brentford, the Spaniard was an ever-present between the sticks as the Gunners again went toe-to-toe with Manchester City for the title. When Ramsdale was called upon, it’s fair to say he looked rusty, short of confidence and prone to heart-in-mouth moments. While he was impressively stoic on the sidelines, it’s clear the spell on the bench took a toll, not least on his England ambitions.
During his time at Arsenal, Ramsdale put in some monumental performances and made several memorable saves. His highlight reel includes a tremendous double-stop at Leicester, a man-of-the-match performance at White Hart Lane, two barely believable saves at Anfield and many more. Of course, such is the life of a keeper, there were a few gaffes too. No keeper made more errors leading to shots in the 22/23 campaign, something that didn’t go unnoticed by his manager. Appearing on podcasts and admitting he sometimes had trouble concentrating in matches and would tactically wind up opposition fans to keep himself on his toes was also misguided.
All the same, Southampton will be delighted by their acquisition and while Ramsdale has been relegated twice before in his career, the Saints will stand a better chance of staying up with someone of his experience in goal.
