Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has expressed his preference for playing regularly over sitting on the bench and winning major trophies at Arsenal. The Englishman made it clear that his decision to move to Southampton was driven by his desire for more playing time.
Aaron Ramsdale’s Career Shift
In August 2021, Arsenal acquired Ramsdale from Sheffield United for €28 million ($30.9 million). He quickly impressed manager Mikel Arteta, earning the No. 1 spot. During his debut season at Arsenal, Ramsdale featured in 34 Premier League games, conceding 39 goals and keeping 12 clean sheets. He continued as the first-choice goalkeeper in the following season, playing all 38 Premier League matches, conceding 43 goals and securing 14 clean sheets, helping Arsenal to a second-place finish.
Despite looking set for a long career at Arsenal, things changed in the summer of 2023 when Arteta signed David Raya from Brentford. Initially criticized for his decision, Arteta’s choice was justified as Raya won the Golden Glove award after securing 16 clean sheets in 32 games, contributing to Arsenal’s near miss of the English champions Manchester City.
Ramsdale’s Move to Southampton
In the summer of 2024, Ramsdale requested a transfer and Arsenal agreed to his move to Southampton for €21.4 million ($23.6 million). When asked about his decision to leave a top Premier League team for a lower-ranked one, Ramsdale explained to Football Focus (via The Independent):
“If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant that much to me. I just wanted to play football. As a kid I wanted to play football to play, not to just sit on a bench.
“Getting out and playing was my aim so I’m lucky I found myself here at Southampton.”
During his time at Arsenal from 2021 to 2024, Ramsdale played 89 games in all competitions, maintaining 32 clean sheets and conceding 99 goals. Since joining Southampton, Ramsdale has featured in four Premier League matches. Despite conceding 10 goals due to the team’s defensive challenges, he is still aiming for his first clean sheet.
