Newcastle United has finalized a deal to acquire goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from Southampton on a season-long loan, with an option to purchase the player next summer.
According to Sky Sports News, Ramsdale has received clearance to undergo a medical examination, which is scheduled for Wednesday.
Newcastle turned their focus to Ramsdale after losing out on James Trafford, who rejoined Manchester City from Burnley in a deal heralded as a record fee for a British goalkeeper. City is paying £27 million for Trafford, but the overall value of the transaction reaches £31 million, following an agreement that included a matching clause when Trafford was sold to Burnley in 2023.
While Newcastle had set a £31 million fee with Burnley last week that City matched, the presence of a sell-on clause means City’s actual expenditure amounts to £27 million. Previously, the record for a British goalkeeper was held by Jordan Pickford, who was signed by Everton from Sunderland for £30 million.
Sky Sports News analyst James Savundra offered insights on Ramsdale, noting, “Aaron Ramsdale is a brilliant character. I know he has a few relegations on his CV but you can’t argue with his record as a goalkeeper. He was Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper only two seasons ago before David Raya came in and made it his own.”
Savundra emphasized Ramsdale’s experience competing at the highest level in the Premier League: “He’s a goalkeeper who has shown over the course of the last few years in the Premier League that he belongs on the biggest stage. Nick Pope has performed admirably for them throughout the last few seasons, but unfortunately, he’s had a number of injuries. Our understanding is Eddie Howe wants a goalkeeper to compete with Pope rather than replace him.”
He concluded, “You could have two England goalkeepers competing for the No 1 shirt at Newcastle, knowing whoever gets it will have a great chance of going to the World Cup next summer.”
Further details will follow as the situation develops.
Next season, Sky Sports plans to boost its Premier League coverage, increasing from 128 to at least 215 live matches, with 80 percent of all televised games set to air on their platform.
