Arsenal set to give fourth star new contract after Saka, Martinelli and Saliba
Arsenal are set to reward Aaron Ramsdale with a new contract, according to reports. The Gunners are currently focusing on new deals for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba, but Ramsdale is also on the agenda.
The goalkeeper joined Arsenal from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021 for an initial £24million. He signed a four-year deal with the option of another season.
Ramsdale came into Arsenal’s Premier League side following three defeats at the start of last term. He has featured in all but one match since then and has cemented himself as the club’s No 1.
He usurped Bernd Leno at the Emirates and the German has since left to join Fulham. USA international Matt Turner joined from New England Revolution in the last window but is very much considered the No 2, despite improving performances in the Europa League.
Ramsdale is set to be part of England’s World Cup squad which travels to Qatar next month. And Arsenal chiefs are set to reward him for his progress.
The Athletic claims Arsenal acknowledge that Ramsdale should be on a salary in line with other goalkeepers at top-six clubs in England. The 24-year-old is currently reported to earn just over £60,000 a week.
The futures of Saka, Martinelli and Saliba are higher on the agenda for Arsenal though. The trio have established themselves as key members of Mikel Arteta’s team so far this season.
Meanwhile, Ramsdale has kept four clean sheets in five games away from home in the Premier League so far this season. He played a crucial role in Sunday’s 1-0 against Leeds at Elland Road.
He admitted the performance wasn’t pretty but praised his team’s defensive capabilities. Ramsdale told Arsenal media: “As a whole, as a collective, we were outstanding defensively.
“A 1-0 win away from home at Leeds is a really tough ask, and we’ve done that. Of course we want to win 3-0 each week, passing the ball, but we found a way to win today and that’s the most important thing.
“But collectively, I was shanking balls left right and centre. Bukayo got a goal, but couldn’t get him into the game.
“We were just losing duals and stuff, but like I say from back to front the whole game we were outstanding defensively. It’s just one of those emotions where now we’ve set our bar so high, standards-wise of how we want to play, and we didn’t reach that. But the overriding emotion is elation because we got three points and a 1-0 win away from home.”
