Aaron Ramsdale has opened up about his “difficult” decision to leave Arsenal in search of regular game time.

The England international spent two full seasons as Arsenal’s first choice goalkeeper before being replaced by David Raya during the 2023/24 season. Having lost his place Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup, Ramsdale opted to leave the club in the summer, joining newly-promoted Southampton.

Since then, the goalkeeper has started four Premier League games for the Saints, just two starts shy of his total for the 2023/24 campaign at Arsenal.

Speaking to Sky Sports about his decision to leave the Emirates Stadium, Ramsdale revealed that he left the club in search of regular minutes in the Premier League:

“There’s not many people that I have personally met that have said ‘I wanted to win the Premier League as a kid by sitting on the bench’. As much as that would be amazing and you are in a team environment,” admitted Ramsdale.

“If I finish my career and I have played 10 years in the Premier League with four or five hundred games, or I played 150 and I won two Premier Leagues and an FA Cup by not playing for Arsenal, I would much prefer the first option.

“It was very difficult to leave that football club but when it came down to it, all I ever wanted to do was play and that is what I am doing now and I’m grateful to Southampton.”

Ramsdale is set to return to the Emirates for the first time since his summer departure on Saturday, with Southampton looking for their first win of the season against a title-challenging Arsenal side.

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