Arteta must sell £50m Arsenal fan-favourite this summer, he’s come as far as he can

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Although there’s still a lot of crucial football to be played this season, Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team must have one eye on the summer.

It’s impossible to think that a club who were so well prepared to sanction deals for Declan Rice and Kai Havertz early last summer, haven’t already begun drawing up a list of targets.

And as well as the players who may arrive at the Emirates, the club will surely also be readying one or two for a departure.

It was recently reported that Mikel Arteta was now willing to sell Kieran Tierney this summer once his loan at Real Sociedad concludes. 

And the departures are unlikely to stop there.

Eddie Nketiah also looks destined to leave, a player who has barely featured in recent months.

And similarly, Aaron Ramsdale’s future now looks fairly straightforward too.

In truth, that was probably already a decision that was made before the weekend’s blunder against Brentford, but that display, albeit excellent in the second half, did summarise why David Raya has come in.

For many it was baffling when Arsenal replaced Ramsdale, he was so well loved, but he had a trait that was unsettling Arteta, explaining why a summer departure now looks best.

Aaron Ramsdale won’t be Arsenal number one under Mikel Arteta again, it’s time to leave this summer

Ramsdale remains a spectacular keeper, Arsenal wouldn’t hold an asking price of around £50m otherwise.

But Saturday’s performance did summarise Ramsdale’s entire time at the club in 90 minutes.

The keeper made some incredible reaction saves and was strong in his long-ball distribution.

However, his performance was then damaged by a needless mistake, demonstrating why Ramsdale now represents a mismatch in styles when compared to Raya’s calmness in possession.

Ramsdale truly is a ‘box office’ keeper, someone who can star in the biggest of games, there’s never a dull moment.

And whilst that makes him such an endearing and popular character, it doesn’t always lend well to winning the ‘nothing’ games, when concentration is needed the most.

Raya now gives Arsenal so much better control at the back, there’s almost a Manchester City type numbness to the consistency of his performances.

And whilst Mikel Arteta doesn’t need Ramsdale at Arsenal beyond the summer, he will still make an excellent keeper elsewhere, a player who could still win so much in his career.

But for this Arsenal team right now, he’s simply no longer the right fit.