Aaron Ramsdale has agreed to a deal to leave Arsenal and join Premier League rivals Southampton permanently.
The Pitch Prospect has learned that the Gunners will sell their No.2 goalkeeper for an initial fee of £18 million, rising to £25 million if the Saints stay in the league this season.
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Ramsdale will undergo a medical at St Mary’s Club on Thursday, in time to complete the transfer before Friday’s deadline.
The England international is being heavily linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer after losing his No.1 shirt to David Raya last season.
Ramsdale’s future at the Emirates Stadium became even more uncertain when Raya’s original loan move from Brentford was, as expected, converted into a permanent transfer at the start of the summer.
A loan for Ramsdale had been discussed at length and many clubs in England and across Europe had shown interest, but now Southampton seem willing to spend big to sign the goalkeeper outright.
Ramsdale is pushing for a move away from the Gunners with the 26-year-old desperate to play after making just 11 appearances in all competitions last season.
The deal with Southampton represents a slight retreat from Arsenal, who wanted to loan Ramsdale for up to £30 million this summer and commit to buying the player.
Ramsdale joined the Gunners from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021 for the same amount of £30 million.
But just hours before the transfer window closed, they accepted a lower offer so that the goalkeeper could leave the club and play more regularly for the first team.
Several clubs have expressed interest in the 26-year-old, but all offers from Wolves, Bournemouth and Dutch top club Ajax have been rejected by Arsenal.
The Saints then entered the race and continued their search for a new goalkeeper after medical problems halted their move to Feyenoord number 1 Justin Bijlow.
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Ramsdale is now set to become the Saints’ new first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Alex McCarthy and Gavin Bazunu as the team look to avoid relegation in their first season back in the Premier League.
The winner of last season’s Championship play-off final sits 16th in the top flight after starting the new season with two consecutive defeats against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.
Ramsdale will leave Arsenal after making 89 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners and helping the club win the Community Shield in 2023.
His £30 million signing raised many eyebrows at the time, but the young goalkeeper – aged 23 when he signed – quickly convinced his doubters with some impressive performances between the posts, earning praise for his reaction saves and acrobatic stops.
He also won over his fans through his penchant for making fun of his opponents, especially the opposing fans behind his goal, as well as his passionate celebrations from the other end of the pitch when he watched his teammates score goals.
However, the youngster also developed a reputation for lacking concentration in crucial moments, which led to a series of major blunders and ultimately led to Mikel Arteta putting his trust in another player.