Aaron Ramsdale Should Be A Starting Goalkeeper

Aaron Ramsdale Should Be A Starting Goalkeeper

James Caughlin

As the transfer window draws to a close there are plenty of players desperately searching for a home with differing motivations across the board.

Some players are just chasing a new contract and some long term stability, others a chance to play for a big club and possibly in the Champions League.

For some though, they just want a chance to play rather than being stuck on the bench and one such person in that situation is Arsenal’s backup keeper Aaron Ramsdale.

By the sounds of it there is no shortage of interest in the shot stopper with six England caps to his name and the 26-year-old is too good to be stuck watching top flight football.

What is unfortunate for him is that he has been relegated to David Raya’s backup and with the Spaniard keeping back to back clean sheets to start the season, he is unlikely to be usurped.

Especially when he pulls off saves like this.

It is especially harsh on Ramsdale when you consider he was signed by Arsenal for £28m in 2021 before quickly ascending to the starting role and he didn’t do a lot wrong.

Raya has just been the preferred option for Mikel Arteta since first joining the Gunners on loan 12 months ago and in a permanent move in July for approximately £32m.

While Ramsdale has been the good teammate having been dropped from the starting lineup, he has to look out for himself and find a club where he is going to be the starting goalkeeper week in, week out.

The Englishman is capable of the spectacular save and showed that in his limited opportunities last season, especially against Brentford when Raya was ineligible to play.

There are still some warts on his game but there are plenty of clubs he would be a clear upgrade over the established number one.

At the time of publish, it sounds like Wolves are the clubhouse leaders for Ramsdale’s signature, but it would be an odd move considering Jose Sa is the locked on starter.

Although after conceding six against Chelsea on the weekend, Sa is not in the most secure position, especially having been caught out by Cole Palmer for this goal.

Adding another goalkeeper now would at least create some competition and Ramsdale would fancy his chances of stealing the job soon after arriving.

Perhaps Wolves might be the best team for him to move to so that he can play, but Ramsdale is one of the Premier League’s best 20 goalkeepers and is better than a bench warmer.

Especially with a new English national team manager coming in to the fold and the chance to impress ahead of a new World Cup qualifying cycle and try to unseat Jordan Pickford for that job.

With so much on the line as he approaches the next phase of his career, Ramsdale needs to make the right call to ensure he remains in the national team consideration while there are plenty of clubs that need to take a long hard look and work out if he is their best option.