Arteta considering dropping KEY PLAYER to give £26m star a prolonged first-team action – Player set to start against Everton
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly seriously considering dropping Aaron Ramsdale and giving David Raya a ‘prolonged first team opportunity’, as per the Daily Mail.
After moving to the Emirates Stadium back in 2021 from Bournemouth in a £25m deal, the 25-year-old has been enjoying a stellar time at North London over the last few years.
However, the Gunners have surprisingly decided to sign another high-profile goalkeeper, David Raya, this summer after letting Matt Turner leave the club. Arsenal have acquired the former Brentford star’s service on an initial loan deal with an option to make the move permanent next summer.
After this move, questions have continued to emerge as to how Arteta would keep both the goalkeepers happy by providing them proper game-time. In the meantime, Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Spaniard hasn’t signed for Arsenal to sit on the bench and be the second fiddle to Ramsdale.
Nevertheless, the Englishman has started the season between the sticks for Arsenal and he has showcased promising displays during the first few games.
Fight for the goalkeeping position
However, according to the report by the Daily Mail, Ramsdale is under increasing pressure to keep hold of his place in goal for Arsenal and Arteta is seriously considering dropping him by giving Raya ‘a prolonged first-team action in the coming weeks’.
The report further claims that the Spain international has been impressive during the recent training sessions and his ability to play out from the back accurately has impressed Arteta the most. So, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Gunners boss eventually opts to use Raya as the number-one keeper, dropping Ramsdale in the coming days.
I think Ramsdale will remain as the first-choice goalkeeper for Arsenal in the Premier League encounters, while Raya – valued at around £26m by Transfermarkt – could play in the Champions League and the other cup competitions.
However, if that were to be the case, then it remains to be seen whether Ramsdale will be happy without playing in Europe’s elite club competition having played a pivotal role in helping the North London club qualify for this tournament last season.
So, it is going to be interesting to see how Arteta will rotate his goalkeeper options to keep them happy throughout the season.
