Aaron Ramsdale told to make huge call on Arsenal future to 'prove Mikel Arteta wrong' after Gunners complete permanent David Raya signing

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has told Ramsdale that he will need to decide this summer whether he stays at the Emirates or leaves to fight for his England future. Ramsdale is expected to be a backup under Arteta once again this season, after Arsenal permanently signed David Raya this summer.

Ramsdale started last season as Arsenal's first choice goalkeeper but was quickly dropped once Raya joined on loan from Brentford. Ramsdale went on to make just two more Premier League appearances after Raya's arrival, both against Brentford because the Spaniard was ineligible to play. Ramsdale has also failed to displace Jordan Pickford as England's starting shot stopper, playing backup to the Everton man at Euro 2024 this summer.

Parlour told Mirror Sport: "It's gonna be difficult for Aaron, because he's in that England squad and really wants to get an opportunity. He wants to play football, he's had that taste of playing week in, week out for Arsenal. I think it's at that time where you've got to make big decisions as a manager.

"The [Raya] deal was done, and it's not a bad deal really, £25m for a goalkeeper. But Aaron has now got to make a big decision about what he does, whether he sticks around and waits for his opportunity again or whether he says, 'Look, my time's up at Arsenal, but I'm gonna prove people wrong, prove Arteta wrong and start playing No1 for England.' So that's all he can do really - I think he will move on, because his appetite is to play every week.

"It'll be sad to see him go, but you've got think for yourself sometimes for your own career. And if it's going nowhere and you miss two years of it, you'll regret it in the end. So I think Aaron's got to make a big decision with his family and the club. Whatever club he goes to, I'm sure they're gonna get a top-class goalkeeper."

Currently, there does not seem to be any obvious transfer on the horizon for Ramsdale, with links to teams such as Chelsea and Newcastle having cooled in recent months. Arsenal are also hoping to recoup the £24 million ($31m) they spent on the ex-Sheffield United goalkeeper – an amount which no team appears to be willing to spend – meaning Ramsdale could begin the new season at Arsenal behind Raya in the pecking order.