'Medical today' - Arsenal sanction £25m exit of star labelled 'exceptional' by Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta maintained his support for the player.Mikel Arteta maintained his support for the player.
Mikel Arteta maintained his support for the player. | Getty Images
The Gunners will allow the shot-stopper to move to a top flight rival ahead of Deadline Day.

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale will undergo his medical at Premier League rivals Southampton today ahead of a £25 million switch to the south coast side.

The Gunners shot-stopper had to settle for a spot on the bench for the majority of last season with former Brentford man David Raya coming in and making the starting berth between the sticks his own. Ramsdale has been linked with several top flight clubs this summer as he seeks playing time with Newcastle United and Wolves both frontrunners at times.

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However, it is newly promoted Southampton who are set to win the race. It will be a return to the coast for Ramsdale, who spent three years at AFC Bournemouth between 2017 and 2020. The player returned to Sheffield United for a season after that before being purchased by Arsenal for £30 million in 2021.

The England international has made a total of 89 appearances for Arsenal but featured just six times in the Premier League last season. Ramsdale has been on the bench for both league matches so far this term, against Wolves and Aston Villa.

Providing an update on the imminent transfer today, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that a medical would take place on Thursday ahead of Deadline Day on Friday. He wrote on X: "Medical tests today for Aaron Ramsdale as new Southampton player from Arsenal on £25m package."

Ramsdale had maintained the support of Mikel Arteta, even when on the bench for large parts of the last campaign. After a rare Premier League outing against Brentford early last season, the Arsenal boss said: " “He’s been exceptional around the place with the situation. Like everybody. We love him more for sure. We have him every day. We know him, we know his character and we are really happy to have him.

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Ramsdale had been ousted from the starting XI by David Raya at Arsenal.Ramsdale had been ousted from the starting XI by David Raya at Arsenal.
Ramsdale had been ousted from the starting XI by David Raya at Arsenal. | Getty Images

“I don’t think I’m the one to answer the question about Aaron Ramsdale’s quality because I’m the one who signed him when everyone else was questioning that decision. So I don’t think I’m the one to answer that question.

“Every player is very important. We have a lot of injuries as well and players who contributed. But in football it’s about now, it’s about the moment. Today he [Ramsdale] had the opportunity to play and he played a really big game.”

Southampton have fielded veteran Alex McCarthy in goal for both games of the Premier League season so far, losing 1-0 to Newcastle United and by the same scoreline to Nottingham Forest. Ramsdale will compete with the former Crystal Palace and Reading man for the starting spot under Russell Martin.

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