Arsenal star keen on transfer that would unlock SHOCK Arteta signing

Tom Weber

Updated: 16 Aug 2024 09:52 BST
3 min read

Aaron Ramsdale is keen on joining Ajax, according to a report.

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The Gunners goalkeeper is desperate to leave the Emirates after being supplanted by Brentford loanee David Raya last season. The Spaniard's transfer was inevitably made permanent, so Ramsdale's prospects of minutes look slim.

This point has become all the more evident in pre-season with Ramsdale not featuring in the friendlies leading up to Arsenal's season opener against Wolves on Saturday.

The England international has no shortage of suitors and Arsenal won't stand in his way, but they will only do business on their terms. The Gunners want to offload Ramsdale permanently and at the right price.

As a result, they rejected a loan offer from Ajax earlier this week, but talks remain ongoing.

Ramsdale keen on Ajax

According to Ben Jacobs, negotiations between the north London giants and their Eredivisie counterparts continue. The journalist reports that Ajax are convinced that Ramsdale is keen on joining them.

This follows David Ornstein's reporting that the Amsterdam heavyweight are 'optimistic' about signing the 26-year-old. Ramsdale's departure would, in turn, lead to Arsenal dipping into the market.

After loaning Karl Hein to Real Valladolid, Arsenal would be left without a senior backup to Raya should Ramsdale leave, so they are thinking about replacements with a few to further boost Mikel Arteta's Spanish contingent.

As revealed by FootballTransfers and reiterated by Ornstein, the top target is Joan Garcia of Espanyol, which would be an eyebrow-raising signing. The Spaniard only won a starting berth in the second half of the previous LaLiga 2 season as the Barcelona outfit won promotion.

A move to a Premier League title challenger would be quite the step up.