Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are close to finalising a deal with Sheffield United for Aaron Ramsdale and expects the goalkeeper to provide much-needed competition to Bernd Leno.
After chasing the 23-year-old’s signature for much of the summer, the Gunners made a breakthrough in negotiations earlier in the week with the Blades accepting an offer that could rise to as much as £30 million, including add-ons.
Ramsdale has been at London Colney in the last 24 hours for his medical and could be part of the Gunners squad for Sunday’s game against Chelsea if all the necessary paperwork is completed before midday today.
Facing the press in his pre-game press conference, Arteta was asked about the stopper’s involvement this weekend.
“We will see, there’s still some paperwork getting done,” he said. “He had his medical almost done. There are a few things with Sheffield [United] still to be resolved. We are going to have to wait.”
Having had to select a fourth choice keeper on the bench for the season-opener at Brentford, a match he thinks should have been postponed due to a Covid outbreak in the squad, the boss is obviously pleased to have more experience to call upon between the sticks.
“It’s what we want,” said Arteta. “It’s always been the case at this football club [to have two great keepers]. It’s nothing new. We’re going to have two different profiles, two different stages in their career.
“Aaron is a really, really talented young goalkeeper with already a huge experience. He’s an international for England and he’s going to bring competition which is what we want; create competition, healthy competition, quality competition in every position.
“We needed a goalkeeper there, we identified Aaron as the ideal option.”
Think I am OK with this.
I am too. But I think I will forever remain confused at us not signing Onana. Ramsdale + onana would’ve made sense as well. When there’s a top level keeper available for as cheap as 7-8m with the only caveat being they can’t play for 2 months, i don’t really see why we didn’t go for it. Maybe there’s something about the ban that we don’t know about but, oh well. Here is hoping ramsdale can offer us the calmness and stability at the back that Leno has struggled heavily to provide in recent months.
Theres no doubting the talent of Onana but on top of the two month ban you also have the AFN coming up early next year.
I eould also be very surprised if a club like arsenal signed a player who had just served a doping/drugs ban. I guess there were question over whether it was intentional on his part, but id struggle to see how arsenal could tout their values with such a player between the sticks.
Well, the official ruling was that they accepted it as a mistake (thus the reduced ban) but they have a brutal and rigourous policy for any substance related issues (accident or otherwise) to encourage players and teams not to take advantage (thus the ban not being terminated). I do get what you’re saying, and in part i do understand why the club didn’t sign him, but I do think it’s less of an issue given that legally and officially it was ruled as an accident. Besides the ban, his age, quality, price tag, wages, and playing style all check out.… Read more »
signing is 2 or 3 way, even we want to sign doesn’t Onana want to come. and how abt the pay package if he ask much much more. fans are always comment without full background
Transfer window isn’t closed yet…
Someone, and I think actually many, have mentioned its not just ACN for Onana that is an issue, but the fact that numerous members of our squad might leave for it. Seems tricky to have 3 or 4 of the starting 11 gone for it. The profile of a very young Englishman makes sense on many levels in comparison.
Me too, he’s still very young and already has a lot of experience. Is it doesn’t work out we should still be able to sell him in 2 years for 15m
Good luck Rambo
Rambo: Second Blood
Relegator: The Aaron Ramsdale Chronicles.
Hopefully I get to eat my humble pie in a year’s time.
Get him in. I guess we’ll see a year of him mostly as a cup goalie before Leno leaves next summer. But I’d be more than happy if he takes over the job during the season. It’s great to sign a lot of quality young players, but they need to be given chances. Ramsdale has a few areas that need cleaning up, but Leno’s game is full of holes and he doesn’t seem interested in arsenal long term, thus I hope rambo gets his chance.
This is a great signing – POTY for his club two years on the trot, international and for all those Martinez fans, he is 5 years younger and has played more games than him! Very happy with our approach to the transfer market this year.
Time will tell. Still a Emi fan until Ramsdale proves me otherwise.
The only way this is a success is if he gazumps the GK position from Leno this season and becomes a leader for us.
Only those so called fans still crying for Martinez. It’s already history. And don’t forget is Martinez didn’t want to stay to fight for the spot, don’t want to compete. He wants guarantee but which coach can guarantee future? What if his form drop? So basically he HIMSELF WANT OUT, what can the club do????
Emi would have signed a long term contract, something Leno was unwilling to do. At that point, you either sign the keeper who is going to stay long term, or sell the other guy for enough money to pay for the number one, who you’re going to need when the other guy’s contract runs out anyways. What we did was short-sighted and stupid – which are two words that describe our recruitment process rather well. And to say Martinez “didn’t want to stay to fight for the spot” is fucking rich. He’d “stayed” for ten years and was never given… Read more »
Emi was and still is a rookie who made mistakes last season. I would rather our rookie be 23 than 28.
He wanted to keep the place he earned the year prior. Leno started the season, he left. I’m all about “leaving Emi in the past”, but we have to be honest about what happened: Edu and Arteta made a choice for Leno over Emi. We can debate if it was financial or technical – or both – and whether it was a right choice in both those senses, but it is not debatable that it was their choice to not keep Emi.
even we agreed arteta mis jugde on martinez, n made mistake on that decision. so just move on. as i said who never made wrong judge incl wenger, sir feg, klopp, etc bought or released wrong player. n most will agreed b4 leno drop form. he was 1 of the top goalie that u couldn’t deny that. decision was made then base on past record, experience n is german int’l player. it was a difficult decision then. hindsight now is easy to comment. and even if then we take martinez, hows leno, how to off load him. seems no one… Read more »
Honestly I think I just want us to be one of those clubs that throws 70 million at getting in a goalie and that’s the position sorted for the next five years. Obviously that isn’t doable both for lack of funds and lack of such a player but it would sure be nice, I’m very done with us having no faith in our keeper.
70 mil should solve our problem for 10 years, 15 for GK.
Have a chat with Chelsea fans about what can happen when you spend big money on a kepa
you talking about the Kepa that won them a trophy just couple of days ago?
That’s him, the same one that was relegated to the bench last season when they signed Mendy for less than a third of what they spent on Kepa.
He came on for penalties in the Super Cup. I think you’d want a bit more than that from a £70m keeper.
Like somebody who doesn’t refuse to be substituted.
I don’t understand why everyone’s suddenly convinced Leno’s shit. He’s a good keeper. We didn’t finish where we finished last season because of Leno. Maybe he’s had a dip in form recently, but it’s hardly been a massive one, and he’s done enough in his career up to this point to suggest it is just a dip in form. I’m not saying he’s Allison levels of good, but I think there would be a lot of clubs about that would be happy to have him between the sticks, and for all the problems in the club I really don’t see… Read more »
Honestly, I think I just want us to be one of those clubs that never* throws 70 million at anybody, because that’s how you end up with immovable flops.
*At least until we’ve safely finished in the CL places a few years running and need that one final piece to push for the title.
Agree. Just look at who chelsea are trying to move on this summer. Bakayoko is still on their books.
Then again, they probably don’t care if they’re paying people to sit/play with the reserves/go away. And their director gets nothing but plaudits anyway.
Not only 70 million but also a 7 year contract.
Stoked!!! Very excited for all the young talent. Unlike taking a car for a service and everything is fixed within days, a football club takes years to rebuild its internal culture. And so it begins 🙂
Our ‘car’ is 135 years old and has been increasingly broken for the last ten years or so, it takes a bit of fixing.
Agree, it does need fixing. Perhaps I’m delusional, but isn’t it being fixed?
I wasn’t disagreeing – I like the signings and I hope but I am not sure Arteta is the right man for the job.
I was just saying its a large job, because we have not been doing that well for a long time
You are delusional if you think spending 140 million to be average is fixing anything.
And how many games does it take you to determine what is average? One? Or is it based purely on your opinion? Average is a mathematical term btw.
Yeah.
It’s currently got square wheels, rats under the bonnet, a busted sun roof and Phil Collins permanently coming out of the speakers.
Yes, it does take years to rebuild…. when you make stupid decisions like Willian, Cedric, Xhaka contract, and overpaying for Ramsdale.
We needed a quality goalkeeper, he’s a goalkeeper. His quality is yet to be assessed by the Arsenal fans.
It’s a significant transfer fee so the pressure will be there to perform, let’s hope he’s as good as his fee indicates.
Squad looks almost complete now. Just need a RB and maybe another CM, which i feel it will be looked at nx season. I’ll be surprised if we sign anyone aft Ramsdale. Hopefully Arteta can start things going. All eyes on him really this season.
It’ll be an interesting last week to the window for sure. Hopefully, those in the departure lounge start heading to their gates, and a decent RB arrives.
Leno wants out, so Ramsdale has be made the first choice and given his debut ASAP.
Hein and Okonkwo can then battle it out for third choice, whilst Plug can be sent back to Bash Street at the earliest available opportunity.
£54 million for both Odegaard and Ramsdale… seems like good business to me, especially considering Odegaard feels more like a £40 million+ player, imo.
Yes, we win some get good value & sometime pay bit more. thats life, we can not always win win. take it & move on, as long we have some good signing
That’s not how it works. Just because Odegaard was a decent fee, doesn’t mean you go pay 3 times the price for Ramsdale.
even it’s bit high price, but is a risk worth to take cos is english n young 23. in goalie 23 wif this type of experience….. n now he not even ever play for us n u can conclude we paying 3x more…..
n u never made wrong buying in u whole life?
i downvoted you for your english. Otherwise, yes, a thumbs up.
It’s been an eye opener to see how flaky and impatient so many Arsenal fans are. Quite embarrassing really to see the accusations flying around(mostly social media and certain comments sections) when only about 10% of what goes on behind the scenes is shared with us. As fans, we don’t actually know much about what is needed to manage an entire club/business, players, staff, media etc etc, yet most fans have their pitchforks at the front door, am I missing something? .
Exactly. We the owner not supporting new signing fans complaint. When they willing pay more for signing fans oso complaint. Whats fans area these. All big six who never over-paid or signed rubbish. Is Arsenal the only one. Pls go & compare one by one, who have more problem. We not the best but oso not the worst
Liverpool take how many transfers window & seasons to get it right even after Klopp is appointed, & how many season & out of top 4, before he came. Man U how many seasons to correct it aft Sir Feg left. Pls go & count…..
Man Utd – Post Ferguson league finishes:
(1)Moyes/Giggs – 7th.
(2)Van Gaal – 4th, 5th
(3)Mourinho – 6th, 2nd
(4) Mourinho/OGS – 6th
(5) OGS – 3rd, 2nd
Liverpool – League finishes under Klopp:
(1) Rodgers/ Klopp – 8th
(2)Klopp – 4th , 4th ,2nd , 1st , 3rd
Erm, 8th place last season?
A two nil opening day defeat being steamrolled by those European giants, Brentford…?
A manager who doesn’t know what he is doing?
Have you tried Specsavers, son…?
” Flaky and impatient “. How old are you, 7? Don’t chat shite about fans in your toxic positive disguise.
How is being positive about our summer transfer business toxic? Arsenal have done really well buying young players that can grow and improve together. If Arteta doesn’t work out the next guy still has a decent squad to work with.
Hello we issues not just with personnel but management and leadership. Good young players coming in doesn’t mean the obvious issues are gone. We apologise for not gushing over a Championship level GK signing.
You can use “hopeful”, maybe even “optimistic”. But nothing about this window is an outright positive. Significantly overpaid for White and Ramsdale based on potential not performance. Have 5 right-backs, none of them good enough. Xhaka somehow still here on more money. And the football is ugly, boring and annoying.
I’m 35 and have watched every single game for the last 22years.
So no I’m not 7. Yet another example of making accusations/jumping to conclusions.
Without fans, the club, league, FIFA does not exist, we are emotionally invested in this club, most of us have deep connections with this club that is difficult to put into words, so forgive us when we get worked up it is cause we give a damn
You had me till Aaron Rams…
I could warm to Ramsdale because he looks like that schoolmate who never left your home town and seemed a bit of a wrong’un but is actually a decent guy and in-demand plasterer.
LOVE this. And fully agree.
He also resembles Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when he smiles.
We have spent a bit of money this window eh? All good young talent which is nice, let’s hope Mikel is up to moulding them into a cohesive, winning unit.
This season will be quite a ride
Went down a Ramsdale highlights rabbit hole and he seems to command/control his area. Not afraid to get down and dirty and make his presence known.
Leno just looks timid when he’s on the ball and transmits this to the other players
There is a really good analysis of him on a youtube podcast where a sports data analyst goes through some interesting numbers. Very promising. I honestly believe many people complaining about him basically remember a few awful Sheffield scorelines and had fixated on Onana so nothing else except him or a “big name” would do. I’m happy to admit I rarely watched Sheffield unless it was vs Arsenal, but it seems a basic concept to understand that a goalie might let in tons of goals when on a really poor, outgunned team. The key question is, does he stop a… Read more »
He’s still pretty young for a keeper. At the very least, his presence can drive Leno to be better.
Who said Arsenal hardly has any presence in the England team or the Euros.
Saka joined by White and Ramsdale and soon ESR. Similar with Lokonga and Ødegaard!
How about a few winners in there for a change? Unless I missed the memo about us being the new Leicester City?
Competition? Yes.
Healthy? Time will tell.
However, I am glad the club has moved to solve a problem.
If Southgate deemed him good enough for the Euros, there must be a good keeper in there.
He is only 23, and that is still academy age for keepers.
I remember when De Gea arrived at United. He was about that age too. He made high profile blunders, but Sir Alex kept faith.
We know how that panned out.
I am good with Ramsdale, tho if we know this will be the case, I would rather keep Martinez and sell Leno. Martinez as first choice and Ramsdale as 2nd will be a great one.
Unlike Runnarson, who provides ill competition.
I’ve been very critical of Arsenal of late, but a few years ago we were singing ‘spend some f@@king money’ and now they are. A lot of money. Regardless of where it comes from. On 20-25 year old players in positions we need. I can’t and won’t make a judgement on said players until at least one year in an Arsenal shirt (I don’t watch much football outside of us). No doubt some will be awesome and some will be less awesome. Some will start well and fade and others will start poorly and become crucial 1st team players. That’s… Read more »
I can see the direction we are headed in and I personally believe it’s promising. That being said as Arsenal fans, we have all gotten used to unfulfilled promise since the disintegration of the invincibles and subsequent move from Highbury. My major concern is that Arteta will not be given the time to see the project through to completion. If he is removed from his role then what? His signings may not be to the liking of his successor meaning another failed window. Kroenkes don’t appear to be going anywhere so I hope they continue to back Arteta and before… Read more »
Find this a very underwhelming signing. 😑Please prove me wrong.
Great. Now I have to buy Ramsdale in the next transfer window in Pro Evo, it’s going to be difficult, I need to move on a couple of players first (Willian – can’t shift him, it’s too realistic).
I am coming around to the idea of signing Ramsdale, I wish him all the best and hope he can become a solid no.1.
I’ll hope for the best for Ramsdale and won’t deride him during matches, but based on his performances for Bournemouth and Sheffield Utd, my expectations of him are low. We definitely made an error selling with Emi and keeping Leno. Premier League keepers need to be strong aerially and both Leno and Ramsdale have proven that is a weakness or theirs. Personally was hoping for Cragno of Cagliari, Pope from Burnley or Benitez of Nice.
the odegaard ramsdale business is good.but we must sell elneny and by a cm, i would prefer tollliso or koopmeiners as they are available for cheap. edu should try to loan out bellerin with mandatory future fee clause and sign a good right back then our squad is complete. iam sure we can get atleast top 6
Did I miss something about a covid outbreak in the squad? Is that what happened with Aubameyang and Lacazette?
yes, and to willian and runnarson as well
auba could feature in the chelsea game, though that’s unlikely
the other 3 are out for sure afaik
Leno is actually a good goalie and he has saved us points throughout the last 2 seasons. Seems his heart is not at Arsenal anymore