Arsenal used to use the loan mark for player development. Now it’s just a method to reduce their wage bill .
If you think you have read that too many times over the years – it’s because you have . Under the current regime you can name almost an entire squad who have had their contracts ripped up or were loaned out while their deals expired .
I don’t blame Mikel Arteta. The Koronke Family should have made it part of the job specification that the successful candidate gets the best out of the resources he inherits . Our manager has been allowed to think that washing your hands off talent the moment they don’t suit his ethos is standard procedure
In recent transfer markets interested parties have played poker with the Gunners . We show our cards to the public by not even pretending an individual has a future in North London and aware of our willingness to release players . Buyers call our bluff by refusing to submit an offer knowing eventually we will simply give them away to save paying a salary .
That’s why only a permanent transfer should be accepted for Aaron Ramsdale or at the very least an obligation to buy with any loan deal .
Rightly or wrongly it’s been clear since last September that the keeper wasn’t considered first choice anymore . Lies were made up by his boss such as the position being rotated and that goalies might even be subbed as a tactical decision. Some Gooners believed this , others felt their intelligence was insulted.
So for nearly a year Edu had time to line up an alternative for the 26 year old knowing he’s too good to be asked to be an understudy .
This is Edu’s job !
A role he gets paid thousands of pounds a week to do !
In a world where everyone talks off record , we shouldn’t be two weeks away from deadline day with Ramsdale’s future not clear.
Set an asking price and if not met, keep him at the Emirates. Stop giving away players !
We can no longer hide behind players being paid over the odds by the previous set up.
Arteta and Edu were in power when Ramsdale accepted a contract extension and pay rise in 2023. Why that was granted when they were investing in Raya that very summer remains bizarre business .
According to his father, Ramsdale was never told why he was dropped or what areas of his game he needs to work on
It’s believed Wolves want to borrow the England International for the season with only the option to buy . Yet even if he increases his value at the Molinouex he would return with 12 months left on his deal, making it even more unlikely for any kind of fee .
We do have the right to extend his stay to another year but what would be the point?
Even if he did well on loan it wouldn’t change his chances of playing under Arteta..
At a time where it seems like we have to raise funds we can’t still be loaning out players anymore.
Dan
