Arsenal have now agreed to sell goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to promoted Premier League side Southampton, and fans are divided.
Ramsdale lost his place when David Raya joined last year, and Mikel Arteta was slammed for his decision at the time.
Raya eventually settled, and the noise around the goalkeeper situation calmed down, but this left Ramsdale in limbo, and he will now leave to play regularly.
Arsenal have now agreed to sell Ramsdale to Southampton for around £18m, which could rise to £25m in addons.
This represents a loss on the £30m total package Arsenal paid to sign Ramsdale from Sheffield United three years ago, but after a year on the bench, his value was bound to fall.
Fans are now criticising Arteta for how the whole situation played out, but there is an acceptance that Arsenal have done well to earn a good fee for him now given the circumstances.
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Arsenal fans divided over Aaron Ramsdale transfer
Arsenal fans have taken to X to highlight how far Ramsdale’s value has fallen in the space of a year, with the fee much lower than anyone would have anticipated whilst he was a starter.
“Truthfully, that’s a shocking fee for a player who’d have gone for £50-60m last summer,” one fan claimed.
“We paid £30m for Ramsdale. Is he a better keeper now than when we signed him? Yes… So why are we losing money on him. Selling cheap again,” a fan fumed.
“Proper peanuts for him. Could have got 40m easily a year ago. We’re gonna noe spend 30m on a backup I don’t get it,” a fan questioned.
However, some have pointed out that the fee is a good one in the circumstances, given that it was anticipated that Ramsdale was likely to leave on loan.
“Incredible. Really thought he was going to end up on loan somewhere. Best for everyone. Bittersweet symphony,” a fan claimed.
“Something like this was always likely once he was extended and Raya signed. Only potential saving grace would’ve been a big club coming in,” another added.
“It’s the best we could hope for when considering his lack of usage + £120k a week. Hoping a sell on clause is added,” a fan pointed out.
“Would’ve liked more money, but it’s been really important for the club to secure a sale rather than a loan and sometimes you have to cut your losses,” a fan stated in defence of the club.
Arteta to blame for Aaron Ramsdale’s fall in value
Arsenal have done well to gain a £25m total package for Ramsdale now, but the circumstances leading to his fall in value were completely self-inflicted.
Ramsdale ended the 2022-23 season as the goalkeeper named in the PFA Team of the Year, and he was handed a long-term contract on a bigger wage.
He was then benched after, tanking his value, and his confidence shattered, as Ramsdale then looked shaky when called upon in both games against Brentford when Raya was ineligible to play.
If Ramsdale was sold last year, he would have commanded a much bigger fee and attracted more interest. Now, Arsenal are cutting their losses on a player who was once a fan favourite England International, and Arteta’s handling of the situation has been rightfully questioned.
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