Arsenal are closing in on the move for Aaron Ramsdale after making progress in negotiations with Sheffield United.
According to Football.london, Arsenal are in advanced negotiations with Sheffield United over the transfer of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The Gunners are looking to bring in a homegrown shot-stopper and have been chasing the Blades’ star for the entire summer.
There have been calls to sign a new keeper as the club enter the season with Bernd Leno and Alex Runarrsson. While Leno’s future is not of imminent concern, Runarrsson is not considered the required quality to succeed. In January, Mat Ryan, who joined on loan, decided against signing a permanent deal, leaving Mikel Arteta to look for a new long-term keeper.
The fanbase might not be particularly happy with the news on Ramsdale, as they question Arsenal’s intentions for spending a huge fee on the keeper, who has suffered back-to-back relegations. There have been calls for the club to sign Ajax star Andre Onana, who is available for a significantly lower fee this summer.
However, Arteta is thinking from a future perspective and wants to add a viable keeper for the club to develop. Of course, there might still be questions over the reported £30 million fees; the manager remains keen on adding a homegrown keeper to his squad. Realistically, there are no keepers available in the market in that category and age profile other than Ramsdale.
Additionally, there have been whispers of changes to the entire homegrown rule in the coming time. Once applied, it could affect English clubs’ transfer policy of foreign players. In turn, homegrown players could become an expensive commodity.
More importantly, Arteta is said to seeking a young goalkeeper with reliable experience in the Premier League. Ramsdale was voted Sheffield United’s player of the season last term, despite their relegation. His stats compared to Leno are not groundbreaking, but there is ample room for development considering his age.
Arsenal are now in advanced talks with Sheffield United for the English star. They are ready to match the Blades’ £30 million valuation of the player, with £24 million to be paid in cash, while the rest will depend on performance-related bonuses.
Blades’ manager Slavisa Jokanovic did not include Ramsdale in the 1-0 EFL Cup win over Carlisle, which would have cup-tied the keeper for the season if he moved elsewhere. However, it seems the road is clear for Arsenal to finalise the move and bring Ramsdale to the Emirates.
The England star is expected to be Leno’s deputy while providing competition for the German. The current no.1’s status is not guaranteed as he only has two years left on a deal. IF Leno leaves next year, Ramsdale will be in pole position to take over as Arsenal’s first choice for the foreseeable future.
