Arsenal: New £20m Aaron Ramsdale transfer development

Arsenal are in the midst of an unprecedented goalkeeper overhaul with not one, but possibly two new arrivals making way with the same number of departures. Andre Onana and Bernd Leno haven’t been able to get their names out of the headlines and now Aaron Ramsdale is joining them.

As part of the single most news-laden day in Arsenal transfer rumour history, the sheer volume of developments both from within the squad and in regards to potential signings on Wednesday saw Aaron Ramsdale’s name fly somewhat under the radar.

There is semblance of a plan in north London over what will happen in the goalkeeping department, even if at this stage a lot still hinges on what can be resolved around Leno’s future.

Arsenal are willing to sell Leno just as the German is open to leaving, although until a buyer can be found and the Gunners’ valuation is met, there won’t be much movement on that front. Furthermore, with the European Championships underway, no progress will be made until Leno returns to London.

Arsenal: Aaron Ramsdale transfer development makes summer transfer signing from Sheffield United a move not worth pursuing

The Onana case is an interesting one. There is clear interest from Arsenal’s side in the 25-year-old, who will be available for a bargain fee of around £7m, even if he won’t be able to return to competitive action until November. Dallying on the Gunners part will risk them missing out entirely however, with Monaco and an unnamed Premier League side showing their interest.

Mat Ryan impressed everyone at the club during his short stint on loan from Brighton and talk is that Arsenal would like him back on a permanent deal. There are two issues to that, though; firstly the Australian would not want to be backup and without European football will rarely start, while his lack of homegrown status doesn’t help the Gunners’ need to fit the quota.

Thus, Ramsdale’s name has emerged as he fits the profile of stopper Mikel Arteta is after: hungry, young and homegrown.

Interest in his signature emerged with the club contemplating a £20m deal, as reported by multiple sources including Goal. There has since been a development in that case, one that will surely change the approach.

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Sheffield United Demanding £40m From Arsenal for Aaron Ramsdale

If Arsenal thought they would be overpaying for Sander Berge at a hefty £35m, then the price tag Sheffield United have slapped on Ramsdale may make them think again.

As per the Sheffield Star, the Blades are prepared for the incoming £20m offer from Arsenal and will inform them in advance that they will not accept the fee. How so? Because they value him at double that figure.

Talks are said to have been ongoing for Berge but Arsenal have, rightly, shown no inclination that they will match the substantial valuation. If that is the case, then they certainly won’t meet the outstanding sum for the English keeper.

Having paid Bournemouth £18.5m just last summer for Ramsdale to return to his former stomping ground, the £20m offer would only constitute a minor profit and the Blades believe their Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year for last season, who is also currently third choice keeper for England at the European Championships, is worth more.

Wanting to bring in a young and homegrown stopper to provide competition for whomever next season’s first choice may be, £40m is an astronomical figure for someone who may clock up no more than ten appearances.

It remains to be seen what happens with Onana, and perhaps Arsenal’s ploy is to keep hold of Ryan, sell Leno and bring in Ramsdale, potentially even as the number one. In truth, it could be any combination of the four.

These newest developments don’t match The Times‘ claims, which are that Sheffield United value Ramsdale at £24m and Arsenal see the 23-year-old as the new backup to Leno.

Whatever the price may be though, is this really the keeper Arsenal should be pursuing?

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Arsenal Should Not be Signing Aaron Ramsdale

Not for £24m, anyway, and absolutely not for £40m, which is just absurd and probably a local paper doing their best to protect their club. But who knows.

It’s clear what Arteta is after in his squad building with the pursuit Ramsdale, but despite him being a lot better than most make out, there would need to be a lot of work on the training ground in order to mould him into the goalkeeper Arsenal want – and need.

While it can seem minor, the distribution element of a goalkeeper is incredibly important and takes longer than a few training sessions to fine-tune. There is a reason why teams who play out from the back look for keepers of a similar ilk instead of just signing the best shot-stopper and handler before teaching them the ins and outs of passing out from the back.

Ramsdale isn’t completely unfamiliar with that remit having been part of a Bournemouth side under Eddie Howe who liked to build from the back, but compared to his time at Bramall Lane where the mantra is kick it long and hard, he doesn’t quite suit the mould.

His distribution isn’t atrocious, it just isn’t quite at the level Arsenal should be after. It’s for this reason that both Freddie Woodman and David Raya have been keenly tracked, given the pair play, or played, for sides who demand such build-up.

With back-to-back relegations on his CV, Ramsdale has received his fair share of criticism, most of it unjustified considering he won his respective club’s Player of the Year in both those seasons, but some of it understandable.

There aren’t many goalkeepers who fit what Arsenal are after but a move for Ramsdale does have an air of the club Googling their desires and clicking on the first link.