the incredibly laughable fee makes this a poor signing (i’ll retract this if the fee is under 15).
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I’m in the same boat I barely even knew/cared who Ramsdale was before we were linked with him haha. Truth be told I really don’t care one way or other about this signing, especially while Leno is still at the club.
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This fee suggests this guy is actually going to be first choice, has he ever shown enough for that?
Choosing a keeper for his distribution is what landed us Runarsson. I’m bricking it.
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He isn’t Alumnia or Fabaniski, he’s just run of the mill, average backup keeper stuff.
My anger is once again seeing Edu/Arteta pay waaaaaaaayyyyyyy above market for a player that NO ONE else is in for.
It’s stupid business. And it very likely means that the most glaring hole on the team (attacking midfield) will not be addressed. So, more boring, awful football to watch this season
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Every team he’s played for has ended up being relegated 
not that it’s all on him but he has been awful in addition to the team being awful. Usually good keepers stand out in shit teams, but this guy is shit what ever happens. Like @jmb27 just said it’s tragic/comical that we sold Martinez for £20m last year to then go and buy another keeper (who is shit) for more even more money.
Only at Arsenal does this stuff happen.
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This signing means that Leno is gone (maybe this window).
Its really the cost and the uncertainty about whether other holes in the squad get addressed.
In terms of the player, I would have to say that average fan’s (myself included) ability to judge a goalkeeper from another team based on a handful of matches they watch is pretty close to zero unless the guy is Kepa or Runarrson level. You might see the guy involved in like 10 plays and most of those times he’s doing something that basically every GK will do.
People in the GK analytics community seem to rate him decently and Sheffield United fans seem to think he was actually really good in the second half of last year (after a poor first half). I’m open to the idea that he is a good keeper and reasonable guy to want as a long term building block. I’m just not open to the idea of blowing our wad on a GK when Leno is at least competent if it means not addressing more pressing needs.
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Oh yeh I definitely accept that it means Leno is going I just don’t think it will be this season. Buying Ramsdale now and then promoting him to No. 1 next year is a logical play, though if he’s a shit as everyone seems to think then perhaps not.
I personally don’t mind preparing and getting ahead of potential departure but I do echo the sentiment that we need to be addressing other areas before this deal.
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My thought process is if Pickford is the best England has by way of GKs, just imagine how crap the guys behind him are
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Cheers for the replies.
Does seem an excessive fee if he never stood out. I doubt it necessarily means we won’t sign an attacking midfielder though. We seem to have some cash to spend still and we keep being told to ‘judge at the end of the window’ so surely Ramsdale isn’t the last piece of the jigsaw.
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Not saying you’re wrong but there’s always weird politics with England and team selections. Very subjective as to who should be playing ahead of who in nearly any position. Take TAA, easily one of the best attacking full backs in the world, doesn’t get a look in, means nothing.
If that’s the plan, why not go for Onana who is more highly rated and a fraction of the fee, due to the suspension?
Signing a mediocre backup is fine, paying him starter money (regardless of whether he is worth it) is poor business for a team that has several holes to fill in the next few weeks.
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I can only assume it’s because of Ramsdale being homegrown and available straight away.
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I just don’t understand why we are not in for Onana? He’s going for supposedly under £10m is a much better GK and has a much higher ceiling for improvement. Unless Leno is leaving this window, I just can’t understand why we would pay 3 times more money for a position we don’t even need to address!
This seems dodgy as fuck, worst is after both Arteta and Edu eventually get the sack and we are left with all these shitters languishing in the lower end of the table these mother fuckers are going to just get on with their lives, living it with all that money they got off the back of the club with out any kind of retribution.
They need to bring back public flogging, only thing that could ease the pain of these last two years is to see the pair of them tied to a board outside the Emirates with the freedom to throw abuse and other things at them!
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Suppose in the end I also don’t understand how a relegated team is extorting so much money out of us. Players are meant to be available at cut rate prices. This is like the additional 100% interest purchase.
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Yeh ats Blink mentions there’s clearly something going on here we aren’t privy to in regard to homegrown players, maybe we’re trying to establish a new British/English core. Economically English players hold their value.
I’m not saying that I agree with this strategy but I do kind of understand it.
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Feels like we’re having a Everton window basically tbh
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Just skimmed a Blades forum and this poll was interesting. Just over 35% view him as indispensable regardless of the transfer fee.
It just beggars belief how we’re prioritising a keeper who doesn’t inspire confidence, that’s just a recipe for disaster.
You’re supposed to be confident in your keeper, this guy comes in get his chance fucks up then what? Whole defence won’t trust him, I just see it from what’s the worst that can happen angle and it’s super bad with this dude.
Would they look twice at him if he wasn’t English? FFS
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Provided that they aren’t on ridiculous wages like Arsenal like to hand out. Edu can’t get rid of any of the deadwood since Arsenal are paying these guys a multiple of what other clubs can.
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