England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has revealed the motivation behind his £25m move from Arsenal to Southampton this summer, emphasizing his desire for regular playing time over bench-warming at a title-challenging club.
The 26-year-old, who joined Southampton on a four-year contract, found himself relegated to a backup role at Arsenal last season following the arrival of David Raya. Ramsdale made just six Premier League appearances for the Gunners in the 2023-24 campaign.
Speaking to BBC One’s Football Focus, Ramsdale explained his decision: “If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant that much to me. I just wanted to play football. As a kid I wanted to play football to play, not to just sit on a bench.”
The former Bournemouth and Sheffield United keeper added, “Getting out and playing was my aim so I’m lucky I found myself here at Southampton.”
Since his move to the south coast, Ramsdale has started Southampton’s last four Premier League matches, signaling a return to regular first-team action. His new team, currently sitting 19th in the table, face a challenging fixture against his former club Arsenal, who are in third place, on Saturday, 5 October at 15:00 BST.
Ramsdale’s comments highlight the dilemma many players face when weighing the prestige of being part of a title-challenging squad against the desire for consistent playing time. His move to Southampton represents a commitment to his development and ambition to remain in contention for the England national team.
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