The former keeper believes Arsenal could have a January dilemma (Pictures: Getty / Cycling GK)
Ben Foster believes Nick Pope’s shoulder injury could have consequences for Arsenal and has suggested Aaron Ramsdale may push for a move to Newcastle United.
Pope is expected to be sidelined until April after dislocating his shoulder in Saturday evening’s victory over Manchester United, with the Magpies now in the market for a new goalkeeper until the end of the season.
They were quickly linked with a move for out-of-favour Ramsdale – though Mikel Arteta shut down the prospect of his No.2 keeper leaving – while Newcastle have also been linked with free agent David de Gea.
Foster is in little doubt that Ramsdale would jump at the chance to move to the north-east and resume playing regular football and feels there could be friction if Arsenal block a deal.
Speaking on The Cycling GK show on YouTube, Foster explained: ‘This is the brutal world of football and goalkeeping especially. When one door closes, another one opens.
‘And it’s horrible, but when you get a big injury like this, and if he [Pope] is going to be out for a long time, I think Aaron Ramsdale would be an absolutely perfect fit for Newcastle, I really do.
‘But why would Arsenal want to strengthen one of their rivals? This is the tough thing in football. I guarantee you this morning Aaron Ramsdale will be thinking, “That would be a really good move that would”.
Ramsdale has lost his place at Arsenal to David Raya (Picture: Reuters)
‘It would be a massive chance for him to go and play Premier League football and it would be a massive chance to keep himself in the England squad for the Euros. And if he goes and smashes it, you never know, he might even start at the Euros.
‘But then you’ll have Arsenal going, “Well we ain’t lending you to Newcastle – why would we want to strengthen Newcastle?” So this could be a big problem, this could be a bit of a falling out.’
Foster also rubbished suggestions that Manchester United might consider swooping for Ramsdale to replace Andre Onana, saying: ‘Man United are not changing their goalie. They can’t afford to. They’re sticking with this now, it’s as simple as that.’
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He continued: ‘What I will say on Onana’s behalf is, on Saturday night, every time they gave him the ball there were some real stitch-up balls back to him, some stinking stitch balls back to him that he’s supposed to take a touch and do something with when he’s got a player absolutely shelling the life at him.
‘None of them full-backs wanted the ball off him you know. Nobody was showing, defenders weren’t stepping out and showing, midfielders weren’t dropping in and showing.
‘I was watching it thinking, “This ain’t on here”. He [Erik ten Hag] has brought in a goalie to play a certain way of football yet you’re not letting the other players help him one little bit.’
MORE : Mikel Arteta speaks out on Aaron Ramsdale’s Arsenal future amid Newcastle links
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