Fee could rise to £30m including add-ons depending on whether Aaron Ramsdale becomes the Gunners' long-term No 1; goalkeeper has been on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's radar this summer, having originally joined Sheffield United from Bournemouth in 2020.
Tuesday 24 August 2021 07:18, UK
Arsenal have signed Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on a long-term deal.
The fee could rise to £30m including add-ons depending on whether Ramsdale becomes the Gunners' long-term No 1.
Ramsdale has been on boss Mikel Arteta's radar this summer, having originally joined Sheffield United from Bournemouth in 2020.
Bournemouth are entitled to a 15 per cent sell on of anything over £19m, and the 23-year-old's arrival at the Emirates Stadium would likely see back-up goalkeeper Alex Runarsson allowed to leave the club.
Ramsdale, capped at U18 to U21 level by England, re-joined Sheffield United last summer in an £18.5m deal from relegated Bournemouth.
He was Sheffield United's player of the season despite their relegation last term and the same was the case in his final season at Bournemouth in 2019/20.
Ramsdale was part of England's Euro 2020 squad which reached the final, but is yet to make his full international debut.
With Ramsdale likely to cost up to £30m, the future of Bernd Leno has been called into question given the German will enter the final year of his contract next season, and suggested earlier this year he wanted a fresh challenge away from the club.
ESPN football expert Gabriele Marcotti told the Transfer Talk Podcast he was unsure of the thinking behind Arsenal's move, and whether the club have a long-term plan in place with Ramsdale signed.
He told the podcast: "I think Ramsdale can be a better goalkeeper, but Arsenal have to be smart. And if they're smart, when you make a deal, you already have another deal lined up. If you make a deal, and you often have a deal out because it's like the domino effect.
"So, if they have somebody lined up to take Leno that makes sense. If, as I've read and as people in the know keep saying, they're getting this because (Mikel) Arteta likes to have two number one goalkeepers competing for the position, I really don't get it because you had that when you had Emi Martinez there. And we saw how that worked out - he ended up wanting to leave. I don't think top clubs, by choice, often have two number ones competing for a position.
"It can happen sometimes. but that's a particular situation at Manchester United for example. In most other clubs you have a clear hierarchy. So what that tells me is if they're smart they have somebody lined up for Leno, either that or Arteta just really doesn't like him."
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