Gabby Agbonlahor has slammed Arsenal’s recent goalkeeping transfer decisions, amidst rumours of a move to sign Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United.
Only 10 months ago, the Gunners took the decision to sell Emiliano Martinez to Aston Villa after thoroughly impressing between the sticks, favouring German shot-stopper Bernd Leno instead.
The Villa star has since gone onto received a number of plaudits after another impressive campaign, before playing a key role for Argentina as they won their first Copa America in the 21st century, and Agbonlahor has slammed the decision making behind their activity.
“For me, that just sums up Arsenal as a club and the way they’re run,” Agbonlahor told the Football Insider.
“You’ve let the Premier League’s best goalkeeper go to Aston Villa for £20million because you think that Leno is better. Then a year later you’re looking to pay £30million for a goalkeeper who didn’t have the best of seasons at a relegated team.
“Maybe because he got in the England squad late on Arsenal may see that as a big thing. But, for me, it’s really bad business. If you’re paying £30million for Ramsdale he has to be starting and he’s not better than Leno.
“You’re going to make the same mistake again and let Leno probably leave then he’ll go somewhere and be outstanding like Martinez.
“Then you’ll have Ramsdale who looked quite nervous lasts season and he’s going to be at a massive club where there are more nerves again. Arsenal are already known for mistakes in their backline.
“It’s a crazy transfer. You’ve got Leno, bring in a cheap number two and use your money elsewhere where it’s needed. I’m sure Arsenal fans would agree.”
£30 Million certainly does sound extortionate for a back-up goalkeeper, and while his signing appears to be based on Ramsdale possibly challenging Leno for the first-team role, I just can’t see him winning that battle.
I have to agree with Gabby in that I’d rather we opted for a cheaper alternative, but at the same time, I would much prefer to see us bring in a player who could actually challenge the German, who has got too comfortable knowing he is going to be starting every week in my opinion.
Is Ramsdale good enough to challenge Leno?
Patrick
A club with ambition keeps their best players, a club who doesn’t know what it is doing sells them. If you sell you best players, you reep the rewards and we are doing. From the top to the bottom this club is a disgrace, the way it is run on and off the field is amateurish in the extreme ( sorry to all amateurs ) and until the owner and this manager departs we are in for mediocrity.
Nice one by gab
Would you have run a long articke on what Gabby said if he was oraising ‘your’ club. I doubt it
Several issues, there.
For starters, Martinez might be decent, but he’s nowhere near best in the league. (Frankly, Leno is *at least* as good – just a different type of goalie.)
Second, Arsenal are not “looking to pay £30million” – if they were, Ramsdale would’ve already been bought.
Third, the fact that you pay a lot for a player doesn’t mean he’s a guaranteed starter (whatever the player might think about that).
Fourth (and along the same lines) pretty ballsy for a pundit to come out and openly say they can’t analyse other players for toffees.
And finally, fifth – Martinez is a very old and tired stick to beat Arsenal with. They got good money for a decent player who wanted more game time than they were willing to give him. Whatever anyone thinks about Ramsdale’s valuation (I, for one, believe it’s OK as long as the total cost doesn’t go above 20 mil), at least he’s homegrown. Martinez isn’t.
So yeah, do let’s talk about what “sums up Arsenal as a club and the way they’re run.” Apparently, they can hold more than one concept in their heads at the same time. I’m not sure Agbonlahor can.
“at least he’s homegrown. Martinez isn’t” sums up YOUR Arsenal knowledge in a nutshell.
https://www.premierleague.com/news/2015249
Search for Martinez Romero, Damian Emiliano and you’ll find a * at the end of his name which means HOME GROWN.
Like Ramsdale competing with Leno will get us into top 6.
Complete waste of money when all we need is a competent backup for this year.
Replace or invest in GK next year after solving THIS YEARS PROBLEMS FIRST.
B2B, AM, and RB are serious problems, and considering a GK and possibly ST?
Then again club sold a CB, sent another CB on loan so they could spend 50 million on another CB.
Ramsdale for 30 million fits our narrative; sell GK for 20 million, now invest more in another GK that’s not needed.
But hey, club bought 2 backups not starters so top 6 here we come
hes 100% right. splashing on a no2. Gk makes ZERO sense. Please tend to our huge midfield issues and pump the money into getting somebody like Maddison. act like a big club! Im sure Ramsdale’s a lovely guy but he’s not good enough for Arsenal.
If you’ve heard Agbonlahor on Talksport, you will appreciate that he has an inbuilt pro Villa, anti- Arsenal bias, perfectly understandable, of course, but he seems to knock Arsenal at every opportunity. So take what he says with a massive pinch of salt or just shrug your shoulders.
hes not wrong though? Do you think we should be focusing so much energy on finding a no 2. goalkeeper? Espescially in this price range? Espescially when he’s not even better than what we have?