Aaron Ramsdale reveals Mikel Arteta’s comments to him after leaving Arsenal

Aaron Ramsdale has revealed details of his conversation with Mikel Arteta following his departure from Arsenal. The goalkeeper, who had been ever-present in the club's 2022/23 title bid, found himself relegated to the bench after David Raya took over the number one spot.

The battle for the Gunners' goalkeeper jersey attracted plenty of attention at the start of last season but it proved to be less of a duel and more of a procession after Raya made his Arsenal debut in September 2023. Once the Spain international got between the sticks, Ramsdale's only other league appearances came against Raya's parent club Brentford.

In search of regular football, Ramsdale has since swapped title challenges for a relegation fight following his deadline day move to Southampton. Despite opting to leave Arsenal, Ramsdale has shown that he still has a strong relationship with his former manager Arteta.

Asked about his bond with Arteta, Ramsdale told talkSPORT: "Yeah, I only spoke to him last week. What he did for me in my time at Arsenal, I can only thank him for and he thanked me for my contribution as well, as a football club getting back into the Champions League, pushing for a trophy.

"Ultimately, as managers do, they have to make decisions that will upset people and he made that decision but we still speak. I'm looking forward to getting some games under my belt here and we have them in a few weeks' time, which will be a nice return."

While he was second choice for most of his final season in north London, Ramsdale clearly harbours no resentment, while the Arsenal boss was also appreciative of the goalkeeper's role in transforming the team into title contenders. Now, Ramsdale's focus has shifted to the fresh challenge of keeping Southampton in the Premier League.

This situation is nothing new for Ramsdale, who experienced relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United before joining Arsenal in 2021. The goalkeeper also faces a familiar problem on the international stage, having struggled to dislodge Jordan Pickford from the England team. However, the Saints have presented Ramsdale with a chance to stake his claim.

"I've been around football long enough to know that the manager's decision is the manager's decision," Ramsdale said, reflecting on his Arsenal exit. "I tried my best to change [Arteta's] mind and force my way back in. Obviously, his mind was set.

"At the same time, David had a great season. You can have all the upset or qualms about getting taken out but when someone else is delivering, you've just got to take it on the chin.

"It was tough but now I've found a new home and I'm looking forward to playing again. That's what happens, you just move on, no bad blood, and you've just got to restart your career again how you see fit."