Arsenal: 5 Aaron Ramsdale transfer alternatives

3. Freddie Woodman – Newcastle

What changed over the course of scouting that prompted Arsenal to shelve their interest in Freddie Woodman?

Someone the club have tracked for years – his dad used to work as a coach at Arsenal – even when last season’s Championship play-off final came about it was billed as the ideal showdown between to of the club’s targets.

With David Raya in net for Brentford and Woodman his opposite number for Swansea, the club that came out on top would be the one who presumably got to keep their stopper: the Bees would be able to price Arsenal out of a move and the Swans would sign Woodman permanently.

Did the latter’s mistake in that game convince otherwise? Ever since there have been fleeting reports of interest as other targets were pursued, even if Woodman was included in initial negotiations with Newcastle when Joe Willock’s future was being a discussed. A player-plus-cash bid was mooted.

Still on Tyneside after his second successive loan with the Swans ended, a move away appears on the cards for the 24-year-old who has established Magpies keepers ahead of him in the pecking order.

A proactive goalkeeper with good feet, at 24 he has the room to develop further and crucially is familiar with sides who build out from the back as opposed to lumping it forward. He’s also not going to break the bank.

Is this one back on?