Aaron Ramsdale insists he is ready to “fight” for his place at Arsenal as David Raya’s move to the club edges closer.
Raya is on the verge of signing for the Gunners, with reports suggesting a medical will take place this week after Arsenal reached a full agreement with Brentford for the goalkeeper.
The Spaniard is set to join the Gunners for a fee in the region of £30m, while at the same time the club’s current back-up goalkeeper Matt Turner is closing in on a move to Nottingham Forest.
Ramsdale has been first-choice at the Emirates for much of the two years since he joined Arsenal from Sheffield United, initially starting on the bench behind Bernd Leno but swiftly taking his chance when it came.
It means the 25-year-old is well aware that his place in the starting lineup could come under threat, even if Raya has to initally wait for his opportunity, but Ramsdale is confident the competition will benefit Mikel Arteta’s side regardless of who gets the nod in the starting lineup.
“Bring it on,” Ramsdale told ITV Sport when asked about Raya’s expected arrival.
“Nothing comes easy in football, but you need to move along and need to adapt as well yourself.
“I’ve done it to other people when I’ve moved to clubs, so I’m not going to be thinking that it’s never going to happen to me. If it happens, it happens. We’ll fight and we’ll make each other the best version of ourselves. That’s what the manager is telling us as well.
“I’m sure whoever plays, me, Matt [Turner], whoever comes in... the goalkeeper union, people will laugh at it but it’s a real thing. Your individual disappointment will go away and you put the team first and you put that goalkeeper first.”
