Jamie O’Hara has criticised Arsenal’s chase of Aaron Ramsdale while calling for Mikel Arteta to be replaced by Antonio Conte.
Arsenal have got off to a good start in the transfer window after doing some smart business to get young players into the squad. The likes of Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga have already signed up, while the club waits for Ben White to return from his holidays to complete his impending £50 million deal.
The Gunners are also on track to bring in another central midfielder as a replacement for the outgoing Granit Xhaka. Many big names have been linked, and Arsenal could make a strong signing for that central position. In addition, a right-back, striker, attacking midfielder and goalkeeper are all expected to sign in this window.
The North London club have made serious enquiries about Aaron Ramsdale joining them. Mikel Arteta wants a ball-playing, English goalkeeper with Premier League pedigree. Sam Johnstone is the other name linked.
One person who is unhappy about Arsenal’s chase of Ramsdale is former Tottenham midfielder, Jamie O’Hara. While speaking on Talksport, O’Hara criticised Arsenal’s dealing with the goalkeeping situation and the subsequent search for a new keeper in light of Bernd Leno’s uncertain future.
? “This literally sums Arsenal up!”
?♂️ “Letting Martinez go for £20m & signing a GK who’s not as good for £30m”
? “What are Arsenal doing? They’re a mess! £30m!? Arsenal need more!”@MrJamieOHara1 says #AFC chasing Aaron Ramsdale goes to show how badly run the club is now! pic.twitter.com/Wn5hBx0Ie1
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) July 22, 2021
O’Hara specifically pointed towards last summer when Arsenal sold Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa after Arteta decided to continue with Leno as his No.1 choice. Martinez went on to have a solid season with Villa and, in the summer, lifted the Copa America with Argentina, being named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.
O’Hara raises a logical question as to why Arsenal sold Martinez for £20 million and are ready to pay £30 million for a keeper who is not good enough compared to the Argentine. Here are some of his quotes from the talk show.
On Arsenal’s pursuit of Ramsdale, O’Hara said, “This literally sums them up, doesn’t it? It sums Arsenal up business-wise. They got rid of Martinez, who’s a brilliant keeper, for what £20million or something? A snip, one of the best keepers last season, and they’re going to sign someone from a relegated team for £30million! What are they doing?!
“Who is doing their business there? What are they doing? They are a mess. They’re signing a keeper that’s not as good as the keeper that they had. Aaron Ramsdale is not as good as Martinez. £30million?”
While he criticised the club’s handling of the goalkeeping situation, O’Hara genuinely feels this could be Arteta’s fault and blames the manager for his wrong call over the keepers. In fact, on the talk show, he suggests Arsenal replace the Spaniard with Former Inter Milan and Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte.
He said, “They need Antonio Conte as a manager. That’s what they need.”
While O’Hara’s comments have some logic behind them, Arsenal, like many other clubs, may have got one call wrong. Martinez certainly is a superior goalkeeper to Ramsdale, and the Gunners are paying a high price for the Sheffield United star. However, it is still too soon to judge Arsenal’s transfer dealings of the summer.
