Arsenal have reportedly informed out-of-favour goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale that they will allow him to leave at the end of the season amidst fresh interest from Chelsea and Newcastle United.
According to 90min, Arsenal have no plans to sanction an exit for Chelsea and Newcastle United goalkeeper target Aaron Ramsdale in the upcoming January transfer window.
Ramsdale signed for Arsenal in August 2021 from Sheffield United and has been one of the Gunners’ most important players in recent times, making 86 appearances in all competitions while keeping an impressive 32 clean sheets along the way.
He’s gone on to land a regular England berth, being part of Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar. However, the 25-year-old has endured a rollercoaster season in North London, having made just eight appearances this season despite being a regular starter in the two campaigns prior.
Ramsdale has been replaced as Arsenal’s No. 1 by David Raya after the summer loan capture of the Brentford man, despite original claims that Mikel Arteta would be swapping and changing them for the starting berth. He was handed a rare start against Brentford over the weekend.
While he kept a clean sheet, he made a few errors throughout the evening, which raised the uncertainty over his future even further. The England international is apparently open to the idea of leaving Arsenal so he can get more game time.
Given that Ramsdale ranked among the best goalkeepers in the league last season, interest in the 25-year-old has been rife of late. Wolves are among several Premier League clubs in the bottom half of the table interested in securing Ramsdale’s services and view him as a potential replacement for current No. 1 Jose Sa, who is being chased by Saudi Pro League clubs.
Chelsea are also interested in the goalkeeper, as Mauricio Pochettino is on the hunt for someone to rival Robert Sanchez. However, they are not the only bigwigs in the pond; Newcastle is another potential destination for the goalkeeper.
Eddie Howe previously signed Ramsdale while he was at Bournemouth, so he clearly admires the 25-year-old. The Toon are certainly a club trending in the upward direction, although Ramsdale wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting spot at St. James’ Park as he will face stiff competition from compatriot Nick Pope.
The Arsenal goalkeeper does, however, have the edge when it comes to distribution. If Howe is looking to upgrade his side in this department, then a move for the Arsenal keeper could tick a few boxes. That said, neither Newcastle nor Chelsea are looking to make a move for him in the new year.
Ramsdale is still under contract with Arsenal until 2026, with the option of an extra year. Considering Euro 2024 is soon approaching, he won’t want to spend the majority of the 2023–24 campaign on the bench.
However, it appears that his hopes of leaving the club have been dashed. While the player could push for an exit, Arsenal seem reluctant to sell him in January, and at this stage, a departure in the summer seems more likely.
