Aaron Ramsdale reveals why he left Arsenal

Aaron Ramsdale revealed he left Arsenal because he did not “want to win trophies if I was sitting on the bench”.

The goalkeeper joined Southampton from the Gunners in the summer after being replaced as Arsenal number one by David Raya.

Ramsdale joined Arsenal in 2021, moving from Sheffield United for £26m, and went on to make 89 appearances, but once Raya joined the club, first on loan in 2023, and then making the move permanent a year later, the former Blades shot-stopper found his options limited.

“If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant that much to me,” Ramsdale told Football Focus when asked about his move to the south coast.

“I just wanted to play football. As a kid I wanted to play football to play, not to just sit on a bench.

“Getting out and playing was my aim so I’m lucky I found myself here at Southampton.”

Ramsdale had not previously spent time on the bench during his career, when a youngster at Sheffield United, he had elected to go out on loan to play, but played just 11 games for Arsenal during his final year at the club.

In his debut season at the Emirates, Ramsdale won the Premier League’s golden glove, keeping 16 clean sheets in the league and 20 in total in 41 appearances.

During his time at Arsenal, Ramsdale was a key part of the side who finished runners-up in the league and enjoyed a run to the Champions League quarter-finals, and between 2021 and 2023, he earned four England caps.

Ramsdale will play against his former club when Southampton travel to Arsenal on October 5.