I don’t want trophies if I’m on the bench – Ramsdale

Southampton and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has said he left Arsenal because he did not “want to win trophies if I was sitting on the bench”.

He moved to Southampton this summer for a fee of £25 million on a four-year contract, leaving title rivals Arsenal behind.

Ramsdale, 26, was supplanted as the Gunners’ top player by David Raya in the previous campaign.

Despite playing in just six Premier League games that season, the former Sheffield United and Bournemouth goalie has started Southampton’s last four league games.

When asked about his departure, Ramsdale said to BBC One’s Football Focus, “It [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant that much to me if I was sitting on the bench.”

All I wanted to do was play football. When I was younger, I wanted to play football—not just watch from the sidelines.

“Getting out and playing was my aim so I’m lucky I found myself here at Southampton.”

The match between Southampton, in 19th place, and Arsenal, in third place, takes place on Saturday, October 5 at 15:00 BST.