Mikel Arteta wants Aaron Ramsdale to stay at Arsenal but cannot entirely rule out a January switch to Premier League rivals Newcastle United for the £50 million-rated England international.
Now, forgive us for saying so Mikel, but your comments didn’t really do much to quell the speculation hanging over Aaron Ramsdale’s head in the build-up to the January transfer window.
On one hand, the Arsenal boss claimed that Ramsdale would be going nowhere in the New Year. Then, just seconds later, he appeared to contradict himself, insisting that he ‘cannot guarantee that nobody is going to leave’ with Newcastle in the market for a goalkeeper to replace the stricken Nick Pope.
Newcastle United eye Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale
“I want Aaron with us,” the former Manchester City assistant says via talkSPORT. “I am very happy to have two very, very good goalkeepers and Aaron is staying with us.
“(But) I won’t (rule out an exit for) any player. Any player. I cannot tell you that any Arsenal player is not going to leave in January. Or he is to stay here for the next three years.
“I won’t say that no player is going to go to Newcastle. Or no member of the staff either. I won’t say it. If you say yes or no, I won’t say it.
“I cannot guarantee that nobody is going to be leaving in January. For Newcastle or any other club. So it is a no.”
David de Gea also an option
Clear as mud, really.
Of course, much of the decision may rest on Ramsdale himself. And, with Pope missing up to four months of action, the prospect of regular first-team football at Newcastle United is likely to appeal to a man who has fallen behind David Raya in the Arsenal pecking order. Especially with his place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad potentially hanging in the balance.
Newcastle are also considering a move for former Manchester United hero and now-free-agent David de Gea, per talkSPORT.
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