"Had a tough year personally not playing and I never want to do that again" - Arsenal star sends message to Mikel Arteta regarding game-time
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has spoken about how unhappy he is with his current playing time under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners shot-stopper was relegated to the bench in the recently concluded campaign following the arrival of David Raya.
Arteta has firmly replaced Ramsdale in the starting lineup and the Englishman has seen games hard to come by. His poor game-time has seen him tipped with a move away from the club and he has also sent out a statement aimed at his manager about his situation.
Speaking with TALKSPORT, Ramsdale revealed how difficult it was to not play in the team, saying:
"No footballer wants to not play, I’ve had a tough year personally not playing and I never want to do that again. It was tough, it was tough. But I have my release now, I’m now here, I’ve got the greatest honour, the greatest badge on my chest, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if I play a minute or no minutes, it will be the pinnacle for me, the best day ever."
Mikel Arteta will have to decide the 26-year-old keeper's future this summer. The Arsenal man could try and force a move after the Euros in his bid to secure game time with teams like Newcastle interested in his signature.
Arsenal star struggling for game time under Mikel Arteta content with competition within England squad
Despite struggling for game time with Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsdale is content with the competition in the current England squad. The Gunners man believes competition for places makes the Three Lions a better unit and a stronger threat at international competitions.
Speaking with TALKSPORT, the shot-stopper was full of praise for Everton keeper Jordan Pickford who is England's number one, saying:
"I think Jordan has had the shirt and we’ve all been trying desperately hard for the past five years to get it off him and he’s done incredibly well, And if he gets the nod then I hope he does incredibly well again because if he wins the tournament for me and I don’t play a minute, it’ll be the happiest day of my life."
The Arsenal keeper confirmed his belief that competition was good for the team, saying:
"Competition is what we need, we don’t want 11 players who are going to pick itself, we want to give headaches to the staff, we can’t just rely on 11 players for seven games if you want to win the tournament."
Mikel Arteta will be keenly watching his goalkeepers at Euro 2024, with Aaron Ramsdale and David Raya featuring for their respective nations. The Gunners will be pleased with the current competition for places they have in their team and hope to make the best of it.