Arsenal to receive third approach for wantaway star, as Fabrizio Romano confirms deal agreed for replacement

A second Premier League club are set to follow Wolves by making an approach for Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, and the Gunners have already agreed a deal with his replacement, according to reports.

The writing was on the wall for Ramsdale when Arsenal swooped for David Raya last summer. Raya had been a long-term target for Edu and Mikel Arteta and when the opportunity to sign the Spaniard on an initial loan arose, the Arsenal chiefs pounced.

Raya has since completed a permanent switch to the Emirates after Arsenal took up their £27m option to buy. Raya is the undisputed No 1, leaving Ramsdale to warm the bench.

It is a situation the 26-year-old is not pleased with. Indeed, Ramsdale previously voiced his discontent when declaring “never again” in an interview with talkSPORT.

“No footballer wants to not play,” began Ramsdale when addressing his lack of action in the 2023/24 season. “I’ve had a tough year personally not playing and I never want to do that again. It was tough, it was tough.”

Arsenal are open to offloading Ramsdale and would prefer a permanent exit. However, the two official approaches they’ve received thus far have both related to loans.

Ajax and more recently Wolves both attempted to sign Ramsdale via the loan route. Wolves’ offer contained an option to buy, though was rejected nevertheless.

According to a fresh update from the Daily Mail, Southampton are primed to become the latest club to try their hand for Ramsdale.

Southampton plotting Aaron Ramsdale approach

The Saints have held talks over signing Feyenoord’s Justin Bijlow. However, the Mail report Southampton are now ‘considering an approach’ for Ramsdale too.

Whether the Saints intend to lodge a loan proposal or permanent bid wasn’t made clear.

Arsenal will certainly be hoping it’s the latter given they’ve already agreed personal terms with Ramsdale’s replacement.

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Ramsdale successor already known

An agreement with Espanyol’s 23-year-old stopper, Joan Garcia, is in place. What’s more, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed a club-to-club agreement won’t be difficult to forge.

But of course, Arsenal will only make that move if Ramsdale departs.

“Arsenal already have an agreement with Joan Garcia to replace Ramsdale if he leaves,” Romano explained to Give Me Sport.

“The Espanyol goalkeeper, 23, won the Olympics final with Spain this summer, and he has an agreement on a contract with Arsenal.

“Now it’s down to a club-to-club agreement, but that’s not going to be a problem from what I’m hearing, so when Ramsdale leaves, they will be ready with an official bid for Garcia, this is the idea.”

Elsewhere, Arsenal are on the cusp of making Mikel Merino their third major signing of the summer.

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Personal terms on a four-year deal with an option for a fifth season have been sealed. Furthermore, a club-to-club agreement with Real Sociedad worth €37m (€32m plus €5m in add-ons) has been forged.

Merino has already said his goodbyes to his Real Sociedad teammates and will become Arsenal’s third major buy after Raya and Riccardo Calafiori.

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