‘Every goalkeeper makes mistakes’: Aaron Ramsdale speaks out on replacing Bernd Leno at Arsenal

Ramsdale makes his mark

Arsenal would bring in Aaron Ramsdale from now Championship outfit Sheffield United over the summer.

The Englishman had previously not enjoyed the best of spells in the Premier League with both Sheffield United and Bournemouth.

However, Ramsdale is still just 23 years of age and is full of potential. When he was brought in, there was an expectation that he would play back-up to Bernd Leno.

And, for the first three league games of the season, this is what happened, with the German starting in the 2-0 loss to Brentford, 2-0 loss to Chelsea and 5-0 loss to Manchester City (Ramsdale had not signed for Arsenal at the time of the Brentford game).

But following the Gunners’ awful start to the campaign, Mikel Arteta has since dropped Leno and handed Ramsdale a chance to shine.

And, so far, the young shot-stopper is doing exactly that, keeping three clean sheets from four in the PL, as well as impressing vs Tottenham.

Ramsdale on replacing Leno

Though Ramsdale coming in and hitting the ground running is great for most at Arsenal, it has cast some doubt over Leno’s future.

The German will have just one year left on his current contract in the summer, and does not seem too keen to continue playing back-up.

Leno himself recently spoke out about being benched and suggested that if nothing had changed in his situation by winter, then he may consider looking elsewhere:

“Only if nothing changes in my situation by winter would I have to think about things: what option do I have, how can I continue? But I’m concentrating on my work in training; I can’t commit to anything else at the moment.”

And now, Ramsdale has himself spoken out about repacking Leno as Arsenal’s main keeper:

“I think Bernd Leno has done a great job. I think he has had a lot of stick for doing very little wrong. Every goalkeeper makes mistakes. Every person makes mistakes. But I think he has saved Arsenal many times in many matches.

“I just think that the way the team is going, with a certain style of play, I have been brought in to replace him and at the moment in time I have, but that doesn’t mean that it’s my shirt for a long period of time.”

Implications for Saliba? Arsenal’s Tomiyasu shows off impressive versatility for Japan

Takehiro Tomiyasu beats out competition from fellow summer signing to clinch Arsenal award