Aaron Ramsdale returned to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since leaving Arsenal to join Southampton in the summer transfer window and he was full of emotions. Ramsdale received much welcome at the Emirates from Arsenal supporters on Saturday.
Ramsdale, who transferred to the south coast club for £25 million from the Gunners at the end of the summer window, was met with an emotional reception from the home fans as he prepared for kick-off. Gunners fans gave him a rousing ovation, leading to an emotional reaction from the former Arsenal man. Chants of his name echoed around the stadium during the closing minutes of the match, and many stayed behind to applaud him after Arsenal’s 3-1 victory.
Ramsdale, who made 89 appearances for Arsenal, left in search of regular first-team action after being replaced by David Raya in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI. He expressed his desire for regular playtime over sitting on the bench, even if it meant joining a team battling in the league.
“If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant that much to me,” Ramsdale shared with Football Focus before the game. “I just wanted to play football. As a kid I wanted to play football to play, not to just sit on a bench. Getting out and playing was my aim so I’m lucky I found myself here at Southampton.”
