Aaron Ramsdale ranks best wind-up merchants including Fernandes, Pepe and Arteta

15 March 2023 , 09:12

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Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has had his say on a number of notable Premier League figures and how they rank as wind-up merchants.

The Gunners shot-stopper has often been accused of getting under the skin of opposition strikers in his time, but has more recently provided his thoughts on some of the biggest names in English football and how they measure up when it comes to antagonising on the pitch.

The England international was tasked with placing each figure into a certain category that would rank just how annoying they are to play against. The first name thrown Ramsdale's way was Leicester striker Jamie Vardy and the Arsenal ace heaped praise on the Foxes' star's wind-up skills.

"He's one of the GOATs [Greatest of all-time] I think, he's a master," he told ESPN. "He smashed up a corner flag when he scored past me in the last minute. Thanks for reminding me about that."

A fellow goalkeeper and former Arsenal man Emiliano Martinez was up next, but Ramsdale was quick to insist that the Argentine wasn't too bad when it comes to taunting opponents, as the goalkeepers' union firmly stuck together.

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Former Real Madrid duo Sergio Ramos and Pepe were up next and Ramsdale suggested the former was a master of the dark arts, while the latter was just a wind-up merchant.

With a fixture against Wolves on the last day of the season on his mind, Ramsdale was quick to not go too heavy on the next name on the list; Diego Costa.

"I've got to play Wolves again, yeah I do," the 24-year-old recalled. "Wind-up merchant. He's probably one of the best ones."

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Richarlison clashed with Aaron Ramsdale last time Arsenal met Spurs

Up next was a familiar foe of Ramsdale's in Tottenham forward Richarlison. The pair clashed during the most recent North London derby after the Brazilian took objection to the way the Gunners 'keeper celebrated Arsenal's 2-0 win.

"Why are you laughing? What's funny?", Ramsdale smirked. "He knows how to get under people's skin and sometimes it's to his advantage and sometimes it's not. It can either bite you in the bum or work in your favour and I think there have been times when it has worked in his favour so yeah, I think he is a wind-up merchant."

Hilariously, up next was Ramsdale's boss Mikel Arteta. The 'keeper filed the Arsenal manager under the 'Actually, he's a good lad' section before adding: "I'm not going to say my manager is a pain in the backside or a cheeky scally am I? He's a good man."

Aaron Ramsdale celebrated in the face of Bruno Fernandes after the Man Utd star missed a penalty against Arsenal last season

He was kinder than expected to Manchester United ace Bruno Fernandes, considering Ramsdale once celebrated right in the face of the Red Devils midfielder when he missed a penalty against the Gunners last season.

"I'm actually going to go 'he's a good lad' as well. Obviously I probabaly celebrated in his face a little bit too much last year and he hasn't held any grudges over that.

"I think he knows how to take it well and give it out as well, he could probably go in the 'cheeky scally' [section], actually yeah cheeky scally, I think I am doing him a bit of a disservice there, but then scally gives it a - er, no good lad."