Aaron Ramsdale has become a fan favourite at the club in a short space of time since his arrival from Sheffield United in the summer. There was plenty of apprehension around the £24 million fee paid to sign the England international.
However, in the four games played so far, Ramsdale has conceded just one goal. A Heung-min Son strike in the derby did little to dampen a solid performance in which the 23-year-old made a stunning save from Lucas Moura’s long-range strike.
Ramsdale’s career has been an unbelievable ascent from the bowels of English football. Coming through the Marsh Town, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United academies, he, like many of his colleagues, have fought through loan spells with lower league sides.
Relegated with Chesterfield during his first outing on loan from Bournemouth, Ramsdale was thrown straight back into the fire of a scrap with AFC Wimbledon.
Joining for the final 4 months of the season, the Dons were 10 points from safety in February and with the aid of Ramsdale the club survived the drop to League Two. He also won the club’s Young Player of the Year award.
Yet even more stunningly about the 4-month stint, it was enough for Ramsdale to be voted into the club’s Team of the Decade squad for his performances during their impossible season.
Some of the biggest criticisms of the decision to sign Ramsdale for the money associated were his own links to sides being relegated.
Yet, he was named player of the season for both AFC Bournemouth and Sheffield United during their drops from the English top flight.
It is clear that in the sides he plays for, Ramsdale is a standout performer and finds a link to the supporters too with the way he understands how to interact with them.
Bernd Leno on the other hand never accrued this same sense of attachment with supporters through his displays. He is a great shot-stopper but his label as a weak distributor in a side that wants to play out from the back was never an encouraging match.
The German may move on from Arsenal now his position has been challenged and taken in a matter of weeks. His contract runs until 2023 but Arsenal could be tempted into allowing him to leave for a transfer kitty boosting fee.
Ramsdale’s job meanwhile is simple. More of the same. Continue to impress with the distribution, keep building the relationship with supporters and further the vocal link to the defenders.
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