Arsenal legend David Seaman believes that the struggles for Aaron Ramsdale under Mikel Arteta started way before 2023.
The 2023 summer transfer window was a difficult time for Ramsdale, who realised that his place in Arteta’s squad was about to be in jeopardy.
Arsenal completed the loan signing of David Raya from Brentford that summer, which ultimately brought the Englishman’s time in North London to a close.
It was a shock for many given the impact that Ramsdale had over Arsenal’s 2022/23 Premier League title-challenging campaign, as the 26-year-old’s game time was almost instantly cut.
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David Seaman says Aaron Ramsdale struggled at Arsenal before David Raya arrived
After three years at Arsenal, Ramsdale signed for Southampton on a permanent basis this summer, bringing his stay at the Emirates to an end.
It took Raya just three appearances on Arteta’s bench to usurp Ramsdale at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with the Englishman having little chance to redeem himself and claim back his spot.
Speaking on the matter to AFTV was David Seaman, who is one of the most qualified to talk about the goalkeeping situation that was evident at his former club last year.
The legendary shot-stopper expressed his feelings of empathy towards Ramsdale’s fate however, explained that Raya’s arrival wasn’t the first ‘tough’ spell for the 26-year-old at Arsenal.
“It’s tough for Aaron,” Seaman explained prior to Ramsdale’s transfer to St Mary’s.
“…but it was tough for him when he first came in because he was trying to get Leno out. They were one and two then and then it switched.”
Ramsdale had a similar situation to Raya when he first arrived in North London, facing two games on the bench in the Premier League before claiming his spot as Arteta’s number one.
As Seaman explained, it was Bernd Leno who suffered as a result of the Englishman’s rise, with Ramsdale having to be patient before getting his chance to shine for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta had to offload Ramsdale
At the time of Raya’s arrival in 2023, many were offended by Arteta’s actions to welcome a competitor for Ramsdale, considering the Englishman’s moments of magic during the 2022/23 calendar.
That being said, it wasn’t all rosy for the 26-year-old, who also suffered a number of result-influencing blunders that ultimately influenced the manager’s decision to axe him.
Soon after Ramsdale’s abolishment from the starting XI, people started to realise the boss’ thought process, as Raya ended his first campaign as a Golden Glove winner, conceding only 24 goals in the entire Premier League season.
It’s a great shame for Ramsdale’s career when revising how things ended in North London, with the England international battling more than just Raya during his time at the Emirates, as Seaman explained.
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