Slavisa Jokanovic will hold talks with Aaron Ramsdale next week as he looks to convince the Sheffield United goalkeeper to reject a big-money move to Premier League giants Arsenal, as reported by The Star.
Fortunately, the former Bournemouth stopper probably won’t take much convincing.
Ramsdale rose through the ranks at Bramall Lane and jumped at the chance to re-join his boyhood club when the Blades came calling again 10 months ago.
Unfinished business and all that.
Even if Sheffield United will be boarding the bus to Reading, Barnsley and Blackpool after finishing bottom of the Premier League, don’t expect Ramsdale to slam down a transfer request and demand a move any time soon.
Will Aaron Ramsdale reject Arsenal to stay at Sheffield United?
Jokanovic is not taking any chances, however.
The Star reports that talks have been scheduled between the England U21 international and the former Fulham boss next week, at Jokanovic’s request.
The softly-spoken Serb is expected to tell Ramsdale that he will be a key figure going forward, while hoping that Sheffield United’s ambitious transfer plans will convince the 23-year-old to commit his immediate future to the club.
What those transfer plans involve, at this stage, remains a mystery.
The Blades have been linked with a couple of eye-catching signings, however, with Blackburn dynamo Joe Rothwell, Wolves defender Dion Sanderson and Fulham play-maker Tom Cairney understood to be priority targets – three players with a proven track record in the Championship.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have stepped up their pursuit of a new number one ever since Bernd Leno suggested that his future may lie elsewhere.
The Gunners have been told in no uncertain terms, however, that Sheffield United have absolutely no intention of cashing in on Ramsdale for as little as £20 million.
Arsenal may need to double that in order to seriously twist Jokanovic’s arm.
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