Chelsea are interested in signing Aaron Ramsdale from Arsenal after the England international lost his first-team status to summer signing David Raya.
Aaron Ramsdale, 25, arrived at Arsenal from Sheffield United in 2021 and established himself as the undisputed No.1 in his first two seasons at the club, keeping 30 clean sheets across 80 appearances. He played a key role in helping the North London club finish second in the Premier League last season, and after the English shot-stopper enjoyed a solid year, there was some surprise that Mikel Arteta signed David Raya on loan from Brentford to challenge him for the No.1 spot.
The England international began the season as the first-choice, but Raya has quickly displaced him in the starting XI, regardless of a number of tacky moments, including in the games against Manchester City and Chelsea in the Premier League. As a result, Chelsea are reportedly keen to take advantage of the situation and sign Ramsdale in January to compete with their current No.1, Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea seek competition for Robert Sanchez
Mauricio Pochettino has concerns for Robert Sanchez after his shaky start to life at Chelsea.
Sanchez has failed to set the world alight at Stamford Bridge, conceding nine goals in as many league games as well as making few mistakes including one in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last weekend. It was the Spaniard’s error leading to Declan Rice’s long-range goal that let Arsenal crawl back into the game.
And with Kepa Arrizabalaga joining Real Madrid on loan in the summer, Pochettino is seeking a senior goalkeeper to compete with Raya. The Chelsea boss demands goalkeepers to be composed with the ball at their feet and distribute well, which Sanchez hasn’t got used to until now. The ex-Brighton man’s form has prompted Chelsea to look for a new keeper, with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale emerging as a shock target.
Ramsdale has expressed concerns that his position in the England setup could come under threat if he fails to play regularly at Arsenal, with the 25-year-old targeting a spot in Gareth Southgate’s 23-man squad for the 2024 European Championships in Germany. If his situation at the Emirates Stadium doesn’t improve, he may seek a move in January.
Ramsdale is a solid passer and can hit pin-point diagonals across the pitch, as demonstrated during his time with Arsenal. Composed with the ball at his feet and a reliable shot-stopper as well, the England international, who has also been linked with Bayern Munich, could be viewed as an upgrade to Sanchez.
However, Chelsea are aware that the Gunners may be reluctant to allow their player to join a Premier League rival. So, it will all boil down to whether Ramsdale wants to leave Arsenal in January for regular opportunities and how much is he interested in joining Chelsea.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.