Mikel Arteta will make at least one key change to Arsenal’s starting XI against Brentford this weekend (Picture: Getty)
David Seaman appears to have confirmed Aaron Ramsdale will make his Premier League return for Arsenal against Brentford this weekend.
The England international lost his place as the Gunners’ undisputed No.1 earlier this season and has been unable to force his way back into Mikel Arteta’s plans, despite the unconvincing form of David Raya.
Ramsdale opened up recently on the most challenging period of his career, while his father hardly helped his cause by suggesting his son’s demotion had not been well handled by Arteta.
The 25-year-old, whose only appearances since he was dropped have come in the Carabao Cup, will be afforded a chance on Saturday with Raya ineligible to play against his parent club who loaned him to Arsenal in August.
Seaman is hopeful Ramsdale will seize his opportunity and provide his manager with food for though ahead of a Champions League fixture against Lens.
‘If he’s not playing it is going to affect his chances [of playing for England],’ Seaman told the BBC. ‘If I am right, he is going to be playing this weekend – Raya cannot play [against parent club Brentford] because he is on loan.
‘Aaron will come in, he will get a chance, and then I think after that is when we will see what is really going to happen.
Aaron Ramsdale is in the frame to make his Arsenal Premier League return against Brentford (Picture: Getty)
‘If Aaron goes in on the weekend as is then left out for the next game then we know who [Arsenal manager] Mikel [Arteta’s] number one is.
‘It’s not good for Aaron. He is a top-class goalkeeper, there is no doubt about that, and Mikel has got a job keeping two really good goalkeepers very happy.
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‘Going into next summer [and the European Championship] where Aaron is really pushing to be England goalkeeper, he needs to be playing, but I think January will be a little bit too soon [to think about seeking a move away from Arsenal].
‘I am putting a lot of importance on the game after this weekend. That’s when we will find out a lot of answers. From what Mikel was saying when they brought in Raya, when he was talking about rotating goalkeepers, we will have to wait and see until after that game.
‘But Aaron is too good to be a number two – there is no doubt that.’
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