Newcastle United are working on a deal to sign Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Newcastle have made an offer for an initial loan with an option to buy. Talks are ongoing between the clubs but there is no agreement as yet.
Southampton would consider a straight sale, a loan move with a significant loan fee and purchase price, or Ramsdale remaining at the club next season
Newcastle have been in the market for a goalkeeper this summer and are set to miss out on long-term target James Trafford, who The Athletic reported is expected to re-join Manchester City.
Newcastle pursued Trafford last summer and had an opportunity to sign the England Under-21 international at the end of May before the Club World Cup, when City weren’t considering a move.
City’s plans changed, however and Pep Guardiola’s side matched a Newcastle offer of £27million, with the player agreeing a five-year deal, plus the option of a further 12 months, to return to the club he left in June 2023.
Ramsdale, 27, joined Southampton from Arsenal in a £25million deal last summer. His Southampton contract runs until 2029.
The England international spent three years working with Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe during the pair’s time at Bournemouth between 2017 and 2020.
Ramsdale made 32 appearances across all competitions for Southampton last season, keeping three clean sheets, as the club finished bottom of the Premier League, marking the third relegation from the top flight of his career.
He previously spent three years at Arsenal, playing every minute of every league game as Mikel Arteta’s side finished second behind Manchester City in 2022-23, but lost the No.1 spot to David Raya the following campaign.
Nick Pope is Newcastle’s current first-choice goalkeeper, while the club also has Martin Dubravka, Odysseas Vlachodimos, John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie on their books.
What would Ramsdale bring to Newcastle?
Analysis from Newcastle correspondent Chris Waugh
Ramsdale may not necessarily excite fans in the way James Trafford may have done, but he is a very experienced Premier League goalkeeper and he is someone Eddie Howe knows extremely well from Bournemouth.
The 27-year-old has been Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper and he has real pedigree, even if he does have a mistake in him as well.
Newcastle have wanted to refresh the goalkeeper department for several windows — but not in the way they were forced to do last summer. Odysseas Vlachodimos was not on the wanted list, before PSR (the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules) forced them into bringing the Greece international to Tyneside, in exchange for Elliot Anderson going the other way.
Pope is Newcastle’s long established No 1 and, as well as Martin Dubravka has performed when called upon, Newcastle want a younger goalkeeper who can challenge to be first choice.
One attribute Ramsdale boasts which Pope does not is his strong ability to distribute with his feet. That feels like the next evolution in how this Newcastle side play and, given the volume of matches next season, it is important Howe has an alternative he trusts, particularly since Pope has suffered injuries during each of the past two seasons.
Leave a Reply