Aaron Ramsdale has reacted to claims he’s set to join Newcastle United, posting a “news to me” tweet followed by a laughing emoji.
If you believed Sky Sports’ James Green, the Arsenal stopper is on his way to St James’ Park this summer. Speaking on Highbury Squad, Green said: “I understand and I found out directly from the player’s agent that one of our players is off to Newcastle and a deal has been agreed.’
“It’s my understanding that Aaron Ramsdale has agreed to join Newcastle in the summer. That’s come direct through speaking to somebody I’m very close with who is close with his agent and he says it’s done. The deal is happening.”
A host of outlets have credited us with an interest in Ramsdale, which may well be true, but it seems suggestions “a deal has been agreed” is nonsense. But, is he leaving North London this summer and would he be a good or realistic signing?
David Raya’s arrival on loan from Brentford raised questions over Ramsdale’s future at the club and the England international has been limited to just six games in the Premier League under Mikel Arteta this term.
Raya is expected to join Arsenal on a permanent basis in the summer and widespread reports suggest the Gunners are ready to listen to offers for Ramsdale, who still has two years remaining on his current contract.
Arteta’s treatment of Ramsdale has divided Arsenal fans and former keepers Jens Lehmann and David Seaman have previously questioned the Spaniard’s call to axe the England international as he has.
Lehman said. “If you have a good, brave English ‘keeper at a big English club doing well and then you bring in a Spanish guy who has never played for a big club at that level – it just doesn’t make sense.”
Meanwhile Seaman feels Ramsdale must move on from Arsenal for the good of his career, name-checking Chelsea and West Ham as possible escape routes for the 26-year-old. “You aren’t going to develop being a number two. You’re going to get left behind in the pecking order because other goalkeepers will start playing. As an Arsenal fan, I don’t really want Aaron Ramsdale to go.”
Links with Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili don’t seem to be going away and even Middlesbrough’s Seny Dieng has been tipped to leave Teesside for Tyneside to play back-up to Nick Pope.
None of this makes good reading for Martin Dubravka, who looks highly likely to leave once he loses his spot in the first-team. But what would Ramsdale signing mean for Pope? Would the Gunners stopper really leave one back-up for (potentially) another? Would we really spend a decent chunk of our summer budget on another goalkeeper, albeit one who is better than Pope on the ball?
Neither Ramsdale nor Mamardashvili would come cheap which given all the FFP/PSR shenanigans would make it hard to understand a move for a keeper of that stature, especially when we have a very good one in Pope, when fit. Again, he’s not a ball-playing keeper, but he’s brilliant at keeping the ball out of the net.
Personally, I’d keep Pope and find a young keeper that would be willing to understudy for a season or two and develop alongside him. James Trafford at Burnley, perhaps? But then, who knows! In Eddie we trust.
