Aaron Ramsdale has revealed that David Raya was among the first to reach out after his transfer to Southampton in the summer.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper, who rose to prominence with Sheffield United and Bournemouth, joined Arsenal in 2021 and quickly established himself as a key figure under Mikel Arteta. Ramsdale made 89 appearances for the Gunners, keeping 32 clean sheets and helping the team secure a second-place finish in the 2022/23 season.
However, the arrival of David Raya on loan from Brentford during the 2023/24 campaign saw Ramsdale lose his starting spot, as Raya impressed with his performances. Raya’s move was made permanent in the summer, which left Ramsdale with no choice but to seek regular first-team football. He made a £25 million move to Southampton at the end of August.
Despite the situation, Ramsdale has admitted that he had a good relationship with Raya during their time together at Arsenal. Speaking to *BBC Match of the Day*, Ramsdale shared: “He was actually the first person to text me on my move here from the boys at Arsenal.”
Ramsdale had hoped to follow in the footsteps of Arsenal legend David Seaman, who spent 13 years at the club. He reflected: “I did an interview with David Seaman about my new contract, and I wanted to emulate him and be there for eight, ten years. A couple of months later, I was out of the team. I tried my hardest to dislodge David [Raya] from the team.”
The Southampton goalkeeper also acknowledged that Raya’s arrival may have been beneficial for Arsenal, noting the Spaniard’s strong start to the 2024/25 campaign. Ramsdale said: “He has made some big saves this season and kept them in games. I just hope he doesn’t have one of those performances on Saturday.”
- Ramsdale is set to face his former club when Southampton travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal this Saturday. At the time of writing, the Gunners sit third in the Premier League table with four wins and two draws, following their recent 4-2 victory over Leicester City.
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