Aaron Ramsdale’s three-year tenure at Arsenal ended this summer when he transferred to Southampton, and Gunners fans should respect his reason for leaving the Emirates Stadium.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper joined Arsenal in 2021 from AFC Bournemouth, quickly establishing himself as a vital part of Mikel Arteta’s squad during the 2022/23 season, when the Gunners narrowly missed out on the Premier League title.
Last season, Ramsdale’s role shifted significantly; he played in only six Premier League matches after David Raya arrived from Brentford. Of those appearances, four came before Raya joined, and two were against his parent club, highlighting Ramsdale’s position as the clear number two at Arsenal—a situation he found unacceptable.
As Ramsdale prepares to face his former club with Southampton this weekend, he shared his reasons for leaving Arsenal. “I’ve never met anyone who wanted to win the Premier League by sitting on the bench,” he told Sky Sports. “If I finish my career with 400 Premier League games or just 150 but have won two titles and an FA Cup without playing for Arsenal, I’d prefer the first option.”
Leaving Arsenal was tough for him, but Ramsdale emphasized that his main goal has always been to play regularly, something he is now doing at Southampton. This determination should earn him respect from Arsenal fans, especially in an era where many players would be content to sit on the bench and collect a paycheck.
With aspirations to return to the top of the game, Ramsdale recognizes that he needs to be a starting goalkeeper every week in the Premier League.
"It was very difficult to leave"
Aaron Ramsdale explains why he decided to leave Arsenal 🔴 pic.twitter.com/tZUeR3FXsJ
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 5, 2024