Sheffield United boss admits Arsenal target may leave the club

Stefan Bienkowski

• 2 Aug 2021 13:36 BST
• 5 min read

Sheffield United boss Slavisa Jokanovic hopes his side will not need to sell goalkeeper and Arsenal transfer target Aaron Ramsdale this summer.

The 23-year-old shot stopper has been on Arsenal’s shortlist for some time, as Mikel Arteta and his backroom staff look to bolster their options between the posts.

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After selling Emi Martinez to Aston Villa last year, the Gunners then signed Alex Runarsson from Dijon. However, he was deemed not good enough, which forced the club to bring in Maty Ryan on loan.

Ryan then left the club and as such Arsenal now need another goalkeeper to challenge Bernd Leno for the no.1 shirt.

According to the Times, the London club have had two offers rejected for the player and may need to stump up £32 million for Ramsdale if they want him this summer.

And while Jokanovic hopes his club will be able to knock back such offers, he understands that every player has his price in the market.

"If you ask me if I will sell, no. I will be hurt if they leave my team,” said the Blades manager in an interview with the Yorkshire Examiner. “I understand this possibility exists but I hope that will not happen.

"I am not worried, I am happy with them and I trust they will stay with me and I trust they can be happy working with me and their Sheffield United team-mates."

Is Aaron Ramsdale worth £32m?

According to FootballTransfers’ algorithm, Ramsdale is worth only £11m (€12.9m) – almost a third of the price that Sheffield United are reportedly asking for their No.1.

This makes him England’s fourth most valuable goalkeeper on paper, behind Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and Burnley’s Nick Pope.

In world terms, he is seen as the 37th most valuable keeper in the game.