Mikel Arteta reveals why he signed Aaron Ramsdale despite double relegation

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are in a far better place following a desperate start to the season which saw them lose their first three Premier League matches.

The Gunners currently find themselves on a nine-match unbeaten run in all competitions which has seen them rise from the relegation zone into the top-six.

One reason for Arsenal’s up-turn in form has been the form of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who arrived from Sheffield United in the summer for £30 million.

The 23-year-old has yet to taste defeat with the North London side, keeping five clean sheets in eight games.

Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s home match against Watford, Arteta revealed why he wanted to sign the Ramsdale despite the fact he’s suffered relegation with both Bournemouth and the Blades in back-to-back seasons.

Ramsdale has made a great start to his Arsenal career.

“One of the things that I was most impressed every time I watched a game he played in was his temperament,” said the Arsenal boss.

“I wanted to watch a lot of clips and moments after he was conceding a goal, making a mistake or sort of difficult moments.

“And that’s when one of the big reasons why we made the decision to sign him to play with us.”

The English goalkeeper has quickly become a fan favourite at the Emirates, visibly commanding his backline and making some stunning stops – most notably from a James Maddison free-kick in the 2-0 win at Leicester.

Ramsdale and Arsenal will now be looking to pick up three points against the Hornets, which could potentially see them move level on points with fourth-placed West Ham.