New Arsenal goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, has said he is ready to compete with Bernd Leno for the No. 1 shirt at the Emirates after completing a transfer from Sheffieled United.
The 23-year-old became Arsenal’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window on Friday and second arrival of the day as he followed Martin Odegaard through the entrance door.
Confirmation of his £24million move – that could rise to £30million in potential add-ons, as football.london understands – brought an end to a protracted transfer saga between Arsenal and the Blades.
Ramsdale has committed to four years at the Emirates, with the option for an extra year.
Although he’s initially been signed as a number two keeper, the new Gunners star has long-term ambitions of taking Leno’s spot in the first-team.
Speaking in his first interview as an Arsenal player to Arsenal.com, Ramsdale said: “Competition is key.
“It’s also a great place to be. Bernd’s done a fantastic job over recent seasons and I’m here to push him all the way and take his shirt. That’s for me to achieve and for him to keep in front of me.
“Healthy competition is always going to be good for the group and hopefully I can bring something different to the goalkeeping department and the team as well.
“We all have different qualities and hopefully we can merge into one and form a great team.”
Ramsdale is likely to be on the bench for Sunday’s game at the Emirates against Chelsea and is therefore instead expected to make his Gunners debut in a Carabao Cup trip to West Brom on Wednesday.
