“Mikel Arteta doesn’t care about your career”: UNHAPPY Arsenal player told to leave the club and join Newcastle or Chelsea
Dean Saunders told goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale that he must leave Arsenal in January and claimed that manager Mikel Arteta, who replaced him with David Raya, was “unfair”.
The former Wales striker believes teams are “lining up” to sign Ramsdale in January and believes the England international could “rock the boat” if he wanted to force a transfer.
Ramsdale lost his place as first choice goalkeeper at the Emirates to summer signing David Raye, who joined Brentford on loan the following summer with an option to buy for £27m.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that Arsenal are “guaranteed” to exercise their option to sign the 28-year-old Spanish international permanently in 2024.
Ramsdale, who played all 38 league games for Arsenal last season, has started just four games in all competitions since the Gunners’ 3-1 win over Manchester United on September 3.
Two of those games were in the Carabao Cup, one was against PSV in the Champions League after Arsenal had already qualified, while his only league game was against Brentford – when Ray was sent off.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper has been linked with a move to other Premier League clubs, with Chelsea and Newcastle United also among the interested clubs.
Speaking to former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara on talkSPORT, Saunders urged Ramsdale to leave Arsenal in the January window.
“He needs to go, he can’t sit there every week with a moustache on his head looking like he’s just got a £3,000 gas bill,” the 59-year-old Welshman said.
“It wasn’t fair, but football at the highest level is ruthless and you need two teams. Arsenal need two teams with good players to win the league, and as a goalkeeper you can only play in one place.
“You have to sit there and swallow it. But they are queuing up for him, if I was in his position I would say, ‘Thank you very much, it’s not for me’.”
O’Hara has claimed that Arteta will not allow the Englishman to leave in January as the Gunners are in a position to challenge for the Premier League title.
“Let me tell you now that Arteta will not get rid of Ramsdale in a season when they can win the title because they only need one injury and then they are broken,” the 37-year-old claimed.
Saunders insisted players are now more likely to force a transfer and believes Ramsdale will do the same if he decides he wants to leave.
“When you were playing it was the rules, but now players do what they want. If he wants to leave, see what happens. If he decides to leave, see what happens. He will just rock the boat.”
