EXCLUSIVE
Aaron Ramsdale told to consider Arsenal exit in January after losing place to David Raya
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale should consider leaving the club in January after being dropped for David Raya, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Ramsdale is a popular figure at the Emirates, having joined the Gunners from Sheffield United in a £30million deal in 2021.
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The 25-year-old had been a mainstay between the sticks, making a total of 83 appearances in all competitions, but has since been dropped to make way for Raya.
Ramsdale had started Arsenal's opening four Premier League matches, conceding four times, while keeping one clean sheet.
Now though, the England star has had to settle for a place on the bench, sitting out of Saturday's 1-0 win over Everton, and the 4-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
When asked whether Ramsdale needs to leave in January if Raya continues in the starting XI, Aston Villa legend Agbonlahor told talkSPORT: “100 per cent. He has to go and play somewhere.
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“Ramsdale will be devastated. He got his team into the Champions League, he was a big part of it.
“But football is heartless and brutal.”
Raya joined Arsenal on a season-long loan from Brentford in the summer, and has since forced his way into the team under Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners boss previously acknowledged he wanted to create extra competition between the sticks.
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It remains to be seen what the long-term future holds for Ramsdale at the Emirates, with his omission since fuelling speculation he could leave in the future.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich have reportedly registered their interest in signing him.
Although, it is believed Ramsdale, who is under contract until the summer of 2025-26, is fully focussed on regaining his place in the side.
Arteta recently spoke after the win over Everton on the reasoning behind dropping Ramsdale.
"It's the same rationale as to why Fabio (Vieira) and Gabby [Jesus] played," he said post-match.
"I haven't had a single question about why Gabriel hasn't been starting. He has won more trophies than anybody else in that dressing room, including me.
"I want Aaron to react the same as Gabriel Jesus. The same as Kai Havertz, as Takehiro Tomiyasu. Exactly the same. We play with 11 players, not 10 plus one.
"I'm a really young manager - I've been in the job three and a half years. I have few regrets but one of them is that on two occasions, I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes of two games in this period to change the goalkeeper in that moment.
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"I didn't do it. I didn't have the courage to do it. But I'm able to take a winger or striker and put a centre-back on to play a back five to hold on to a result. We drew those games and I was so unhappy.
"Someone is going to do it and maybe that's strange. But why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper to do something. You want to change the momentum. Do it.
"It's a regret that I have. Now my feeling is to get everybody engaged, that they have to play regardless of the competition. That's my message.
"We adapt to our qualities that our players have and try to play to their strengths. There are games to do certain things, games to do other things.
";In my opinion it was really important against Everton, and it was really important to benefit the team."
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