Arsenal exile tipped for SHOCK move to fallen giants

Carlo Garganese

14 Aug 2024 10:30 BST
3 min read

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

European royalty Ajax have emerged as shock favourites to sign Arsenal exile Aaron Ramsdale.

Article continues under the video

The Athletic reports that Ajax are ‘optimistic’ of signing Ramsdale this summer despite having an initial loan offer rejected for the goalkeeper.

Arsenal would prefer to sell Ramsdale permanently but the Athletic reports that closer to the end of the window they may back down and agree to another Ajax loan offer.

Ajax are expected to return with a new bid, with Ramsdale interested in the move.

Southampton and Nottingham Forest are also interested in Ramsdale, who is desperate to leave Arsenal for regular football.

Ramsdale is available for sale having lost his first team place at Arsenal.

Ramsdale to leave Arsenal?

Ramsdale had an excellent first two seasons at Arsenal after joining the club from Sheffield United in 2021.

Indeed, the 26-year-old performed admirably as Arsenal number one as they went close to winning the Premier League title in the 2022-23 season.

However, he lost his place in the first team when manager Mikel Arteta decided to sign David Raya from Brentford on loan last summer with an obligation to buy.

© IMAGO - Aaron Ramsdale is expected to leave Arsenal this summer

Arteta believed that Raya would be an improvement on Ramsdale, especially in his distribution and construction from the back.

Raya was largely a disappointment in the first half of the season, making a string of errors and largely looking nervy, but he improved in the second half of the campaign as Arsenal once again finished second in the Premier League.

Ramsdale has made it clear publicly that he wants to find a new club where he will play regularly. He has been linked to a number of other clubs, including Chelsea.

Arsenal will sanction a sale of Ramsdale, with Raya’s loan move from Brentford now having been made permanent for a fee of around €31 million.