Arsenal have reached an agreement with Sheffield United about the transfer of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, according to multiple sources.
The Gunners have been pursuing Ramsdale as a potential deputy and potentially successor to Bernd Leno. The talks with the Blades have been going on for a while, even though they didn’t start as well as those at Arsenal would have liked. For a long time there was a significant gap in their respective valuations of the 23-year-old with Sheffield at first demanding £40 million and Arsenal offering about half that amount. At one point, the negotiations reached an impasse and were in serious danger of falling through.
However, progress has obviously been made since then. Both sides gave in a bit, and a compromise appeared on the horizon. Arsenal will now pay an initial fee of £24m, with further £6m to come in the form of add-ons, which are only likely to be triggered in case Ramsdale becomes the No.1 choice at his new club.
The deal is still, however, subject to Arsenal agreeing personal terms with Ramsdale himself, as well as the medical which would then follow fast.
The agreement and the likely arrival of Ramsdale would complete a very busy summer for the Gunners in terms of incoming transfers. They’ve already signed left-back Nuno Tavares from Benfica, midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga from Anderlecht, and defender Ben White from Brighton and Hove Albion. They’re also very close to agreeing a deal for Martin Odegaard of Real Madrid, who has always been their primary target for the attacking midfield section since his successful loan spell in North London during the second half of 2020-21.
