Arteta advises Southgate on Ramsdale as keeper returns to Arsenal XI
Mikel Arteta has warned England not to judge Aaron Ramsdale on what could be his last audition for the Euros.
Gunners keeper Ramsdale gets a rare start for Arsenal because on-loan David Raya is not eligible to play against his parent club Brentford.
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate is certain to be keeping tabs because England face a huge keeper dilemma this summer with only Jordan Pickford nailed down for the squad.
Ramsdale has started just five Premier League games this season after losing his place to Raya and his last league appearance was at Brentford in November when he looked nervous and under pressure despite keeping a clean sheet.
England international Ramsdale, 25, is now sweating on his England place with Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone, Newcastle keeper Nick Pope still out injured and Southgate has even checked on Rangers’ Jack Butland.
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Southgate names his final squad before the Euros next Thursday for the friendlies with Brazil and Belgium and Ramsdale will be under huge pressure to put on a show at the Emirates.
But Arteta is hoping that Southgate will judge Arsenal crowd favourite Ramsdale on his past couple of seasons rather than just one game as he looks to remove some of the pressure from the shoulders of a keeper who is known to be an emotional character.
England boss Gareth Southgate will watch Aaron Ramsdale in action (Getty Images)Gunners boss Arteta said: “I don’t know how Gareth is thinking but if I put that situation into my eyes and my perspective and how I make a decision, I would judge Aaron not for what he has done in one day but what he has done in the last two or three seasons.
“He has shown consistency and for the quality he has shown. It would give me no reason to make another decision. A player has to be himself and one of the biggest qualities of Aaron is his character and his charisma, his enthusiasm, his energy. He is contagious with that. You cannot control that. That is him.”
Ramsdale signed a new contract last summer which takes him up to 2026 with the option for another year. But Arsenal are set to sign Raya permanently this summer and that means Ramsdale will look to go in search of regular football.
However, despite Ramsdale’s obvious quality, there is not a huge market for keepers this summer. With such a long period left on his contract, it would not be unthinkable for him to go out on a season-long loan but Arteta insists any decision will be a tough call.
Arteta added: “It's not going to be any different with any other position in the team and when we make that call to allow somebody to go, or a player wants to go, that is something that we will discuss if that moment arrives.”
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