Aaron Ramsdale is set for his second transfer in a year, with Newcastle eyeing a move for the goalkeeper.
Ramsdale only arrived at Southampton in the summer, with the Saints paying Arsenal £25 million for his services. But it was a miserable season on the south coast, with the club winning just one game and finding themselves at the bottom of the Premier League.
Although Ramsdale has been a rare bright spot, he has still conceded 27 of the 44 goals that Southampton have scored this season. He also had to miss six games due to a finger injury.
But his performances could now see him given an escape route ahead of Southampton's likely relegation. Ramsdale is widely expected to move in the summer if the Saints go down.
According to The Sun, his situation has caught the attention of Newcastle. It is claimed that the Magpies are 'resolutely' looking for a new goalkeeper, with Ramsdale now top of their shopping list.
They were eyeing a move for Burnley star James Trafford, but the Englishman is likely to stay at Turf Moor. That has prompted Newcastle to explore alternative options and they are now preparing a bid for Ramsdale.
They could make a move this month and tempt Southampton into a deal. With Nick Pope enduring another injury-disrupted season, his long-term future at St James' Park has been thrown into doubt.
Ramsdale remains highly regarded by Toon boss Eddie Howe, who is willing to let Pope's back-up Martin Dubravaka leave this month. Dubravaka's expected move to Saudi Arabia is said to be dependent on the arrival of a 'top class replacement'.
Ramsdale previously won the Premier League Golden Glove while at Arsenal before losing his place to David Raya. The Englishman made it clear that he will prioritize playing time in his future decisions regarding club moves.
“If I was on the bench, yes [winning a trophy] wouldn't have meant much to me,” Ramsdale told Football Focus in October. I just wanted to play football. As a child I wanted to play football to play, not just to sit on a bench.
“Getting out and playing was my goal so I'm lucky I ended up here at Southampton. I did an interview with David Seaman about my new contract (in May 2023) and I wanted to emulate him and be there (at Arsenal) for eight , ten years.
“A few months later I dropped out of the team. He (Raya) was actually the first person to text me about my move here (to Southampton) with the Arsenal boys. He was great. He was top notch.”
Comments