Southampton Set to Sign Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale in £25m Deal
Southampton Football Club has reached an agreement with Arsenal to acquire the services of England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The deal, reportedly worth up to £25 million, is expected to be finalized before the transfer deadline on Friday. Southampton will pay £18 million upfront, with an additional £7 million in potential add-ons.
Speaking to BBC Radio Solent after Southampton’s 5-3 victory over Cardiff in the Carabao Cup second round, Saints manager Russell Martin expressed his excitement about the potential signing. He said, “If it happens, it’s very, very exciting. But we’ll have to wait and see. I’m sure we’ll talk about it at some point if and when it happens.”
Wolverhampton Wanderers were also in talks with Arsenal regarding Ramsdale’s transfer. However, they withdrew from negotiations due to the high cost of the deal. Ramsdale, who served as a backup to David Raya at Emirates Stadium, played every minute of every league game for Arsenal in the 2022-23 season, helping the team secure a second-place finish behind Manchester City.
Despite his consistent performances, Ramsdale lost his starting position to Raya, who joined Arsenal on loan from Brentford last season. As a result, Ramsdale only made six league appearances. Arsenal subsequently made Raya’s loan move permanent, solidifying his role as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.
During his time at Arsenal, Ramsdale made a total of 78 Premier League appearances after joining from Sheffield United in 2021 for a fee of £24 million. Now, the former Bournemouth keeper will be joining a Southampton side that has suffered two consecutive defeats since their promotion back to the Premier League.
In their opening matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, Southampton’s 34-year-old goalkeeper Alex McCarthy started, but both games ended in 1-0 defeats. Ramsdale’s arrival will provide competition for McCarthy and potentially strengthen Southampton’s defensive capabilities.
Ramsdale, who has earned five caps for the England national team, most recently played against Iceland in June as part of England’s preparations for the European Championship. With his experience at both the club and international level, Ramsdale could be a valuable asset for Southampton as they aim to improve their performance in the Premier League.
Southampton’s next fixture is an away match against Brentford on Saturday. With the potential addition of Ramsdale to their squad, Southampton will be hoping to turn their fortunes around and secure their first victory of the season.