Arsenal stars Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus react on social media as Aaron Ramsdale leaves Gunners

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who was eager to leave the club, finally secured a reported £25 million move to Southampton. The Gunners' Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus sent messages to Ramsdale following the confirmation of his transfer.

Ramsdale, signed by Mikel Arteta in 2021, played a key role in the team’s development into title challengers over three seasons. However, things took a turn when the Gunners brought in David Raya on loan, leading to Ramsdale losing his spot to the Brentford loanee last season.

Since Raya’s debut in Arsenal colors, Arteta has shown a clear preference for him in goal. The Spaniard eventually claimed the number one spot and was part of the defense that kept the most clean sheets and conceded the fewest goals in the league last campaign.

Ultimately, Ramsdale, whose status became clear after the Gunners permanently signed Raya this summer for £27 million, was seeking a move to get more first-team minutes.

The English keeper was highly respected at the club, and many Arsenal players commented on his farewell post on Instagram. Declan Rice wrote:

“Good luck, brother, go smash it.”

Gabriel Jesus added a heart emoji to show his support.

Ramsdale wrote an emotional message following the confirmation of his move, stating that the connection he had with the club would never fade. In total, he made 89 appearances for Arsenal and was named in the PFA Team of the Season for the 2022-23 season. He wrote:

"To my Arsenal Family, From the moment I arrived, I felt like one of you. All I ever wanted to do was give my all and try to get this club back to where it belongs. The connection that we had will stay with me forever."

"This is a special football club that has come a long way in a short space of time and it has been a privilege to share so many great moments with you. I look forward to returning soon, seeing some familiar faces and reminiscing on good times!"

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta thanks Aaron Ramsdale for his contributions

There were plenty of eyebrows raised when Arsenal signed Ramsdale for £24 million from relegated Sheffield United. However, under Arteta’s management, the 26-year-old displayed consistency and eventually became a key part of the team.

The Gunners manager thanked Ramsdale for his contributions to the club and revealed that the keeper had requested more playing time.

"Thank you so much for what he’s done for the club, for the team and for myself. He brought a lot of joy and charisma and was really good when he joined. He had a situation that was really good for him. He insisted that he’s really joyful when he plays and we tried to arrange that," Arteta said (via football.london).

According to reports, Arsenal quickly responded in the transfer market to replace the Englishman by signing Bournemouth’s Neto on a loan deal. The 35-year-old Neto has notably played for the likes of Juventus, Valencia, and Barcelona before signing for the Cherries in 2022.