Arsenal told they now ‘need’ to sell Aaron Ramsdale and one other star

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Arsenal have now been told that they need to sell Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale.

Arsenal are keen to add to their squad in the upcoming January transfer window. Mikel Arteta clearly wants to strengthen his midfield contingent, especially as Thomas Partey’s future at the Emirates Stadium is in doubt. 

However, the Gunners only have a limited budget available to them with which to fund new recruits this winter. 

In order to bring in any of their top targets, the north London club will likely have to sell some of their first team stars.

Journalist and former Arsenal midfielder Adrian Clarke believes that there are two obvious candidates for who should be put on the market. Speaking on the Handbrake Off podcast, he said, “Ramsdale and Smith Rowe. There’s no one else you’d really want to sell is there? You wouldn’t really want to sell either of those in an ideal world but you do need to raise the funds.”

Both Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale have struggled for game time this season.

The case for selling Emile Smith Rowe

Smith Rowe has been plagued by injury issues since the start of last season. The midfielder is now behind the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, and Fabio Vieira in the pecking order.

However, despite his limited recent opportunities, the Hale End academy graduate remains a potentially valuable asset. His potential is obvious and he still has youth on his side. He has proven in the past that he can shine in the Premier League.

Smith Rowe, as a homegrown talent, is a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium. However, Arsenal have enough options in that part of the pitch to cope without the 23-year-old, and as such it makes sense for them to cash in if his exit would allow them to invest in a player whose services would be of greater value to Arteta.

The issue with letting Aaron Ramsdale go

Aaron Ramsdale lost his starting spot between the sticks earlier this season, shortly after the arrival of Brentford loanee David Raya. Like Smith Rowe, Ramsdale is a sellable asset. He has also been encouraged to move on from the north London club for the sake of his own career.

Ramsdale has struggled to accept his demotion at Arsenal. He has publicly spoken out about the hurt that the manager’s decision has caused him. Arteta has also come under fire from Richard Keys for his treatment of the four-cap England international. 

The issue with selling Ramsdale in January, though, is that he would need replacing. Current third choice ‘keeper, Karl Hein, is not yet ready to become Raya’s understudy. Whatever funds that are raised by Ramsdale’s sale could be heftily eaten into by the need to secure his replacement, which doesn’t help Arsenal in their task of investing elsewhere in the pitch.