Mikel Arteta reveals private message to Aaron Ramsdale after ex-Arsenal goalkeeper's tears

Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was warmly greeted by Arsenal supporters, his former team-mates and manager upon his return to the Emirates Stadium with Southampton on Saturday

Mikel Arteta sent his best wishes to Aaron Ramsdale after the former Arsenal goalkeeper made an emotional return to the club with Southampton on Saturday.

Ramsdale swapped the Gunners for the Saints in a £25million transfer in the summer after losing his place to David Raya. He returned to the Emirates Stadium with Southampton for their Premier League match – and his new team threatened an upset.

After some good saves from Ramsdale, Cameron Archer put the away side ahead in the 55th minute on the counter-attack. But Kai Havertz rifled in via the inside of the post to equalise just three minutes later and Bukayo Saka then crossed for Gabriel Martinelli to put Arsenal in front.

Yukinari Sugawara’s mistake saw Saka make the game safe for Arsenal, who ran out 3-1 winners to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Despite conceding three, Ramsdale had a decent game in goal and managed to keep his emotions in check during the match.

He didn’t do so before the game, though, with the warm reception from the Arsenal fans during the warm-up bringing tears to his eyes. The Gunners supporters then chanted his name in injury-time and Ramsdale chatted to Raya, Arsenal goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana Pavon and Arteta after the full-time whistle.

Asked in his post-match press conference what he said to Ramsdale, Arteta said: “I wished him all the best and congratulated him for the way that they played as well. I wish him the best and I hope they do – especially for the manager and Aaron because they are a really good side.”

Ramsdale left with Arteta’s blessing in August, with Raya well established as his first-choice goalkeeper. He made 89 appearances for Arsenal over three years with the club and has nothing but praise for the way they handled his exit.

Image: PA) PA)

"What he did for me in my time at Arsenal, I can only thank him for, and he thanked me for my contribution [when leaving]," Ramsdale said to talkSPORT recently. "Not just myself but as a football club, getting back into the Champions League, pushing for a trophy.

“Ultimately, as managers do and top managers do, they have to make decisions which will upset people. He made that decision and we still speak. I'm obviously looking forward to getting some games under my belt here and we have Arsenal in a few weeks which will be a nice return."

He decided to swap a shot at trophies for a relegation battle for one reason. "If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn't have meant that much to me," Ramsdale told Football Focus. "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."

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