Emiliano Martinez urges Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to leave the club

Arsenal visit Aston Villa tomorrow for their second Premier League game of 2024-25, and they will be desperate to leave with all three points after losing both of their league fixtures against the Midlands club last season.

The Gunners will need to find a way to beat Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, with their former player always eager to put in his best against them.

The Argentina international spent eight years with Arsenal before leaving in 2020 for Villa after failing to secure the starting berth, and he has urged second-choice Gunners goalie Aaron Ramsdale to follow in his footsteps and seek greener pastures after falling behind David Raya in the pecking order.

“I think it’s a different position to me as Aaron signed for big money, he was the No 1 for Arsenal, I never had a chance like that,” Martinez said concerning the situation of the England international.

“When you play every game in the Premier League and then you drop to the bench with the quality that Aaron has, I think he should find a place to play where he feels loved.

“He is a player that England needs in their goalkeeping area. He has a great future.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ajax and Southampton have all been linked with a loan interest in Ramsdale, but the North London club prefer to sell him.

The 26-year-old is expected to be on the bench when Villa host Arsenal tomorrow, but he could be gone before they host Brighton & Hove Albion next Saturday.

He risks spending the majority of another campaign on the bench if he remains with the Gunners beyond the summer transfer window, and more suitors could emerge for his services in the last week of the transfer window.

No club have met the demands of Arsenal so far, and they could be forced to lower their asking price or loan him out before the transfer deadline next Friday if they do not get a buyer for him early next week.

Ramsdale risks being excluded from the England squad ahead of the Nations League and World Cup qualifiers next year if he remains at North London following the departure of manager Gareth Southgate from the Three Lions, and a quick solution is needed in the coming days to get his future resolved and save his career.