Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal have 'made bid' to complete first summer transfer

Arsenal are said to be pushing for a deal to sign an up and coming goalkeeper as they look to strengthen the department. The Gunners have recently signed loan goalkeeper David Raya for around £27million, making the deal permanent after an impressive campaign from the Spaniard.

But there could be further changes in the goalkeeping department with Aaron Ramsdale expected to move on by the end of the summer transfer window. The England number two has been cast aside since the arrival of Raya, playing second fiddle despite being a starter before that.

When he returns from Euro 2024 with England, Ramsdale will almost certainly be on the move, and Arsenal are going to need to find a new number two. They may also want to find an extra keeper in a bid to save money in the future, and it looks as though they will turn to a current England under-20s international.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have submitted a bid to sign Ajax starlet Tommy Setford. He wrote on X: “EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal submit first proposal to Ajax for 18 year old goalkeeper Tommy Setford. Negotiations ongoing, Ajax sources see Setford as big talent but current deal expires in June 2025. England U20 GK keen on the move.”

Setford is just 18 years of age, and born in the Netherlands, he has citizenship in both England and the Netherlands, although he has represented the former at international level so far. It will be interesting to see if that changes as he nears senior level.

With just one year remaining on his contract at the Amsterdam Arena, Setford could now be set to move to Arsenal depending on how the offer is received. It’s not clear where Setford would fit in at Arsenal, but it’s likely he would represent the under-21s while potentially pushing for the number three spot, with a senior-level Ramsdale replacement still likely to be signed.