Mikel Arteta say Aaron Ramsdale is the ideal option to compete with Bernd Leno, and he believes the fans will love what the goalkeeper has to offer.

Arsenal are adding Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to their squad this week, and before the official announcement, Mikel Arteta was already explaining the signing and arguing why it’s a positive for the squad and for the fans in his pre-Chelsea press conference.

“Aaron is a really, really talented young goalkeeper with already huge experience and an international for England, and he’s going to bring competition, which is what we want, to create healthy competition, quality competition in every position,” Arteta said.

“We needed a goalkeeper there and he’s the ideal option. I think [the fans are] going to love his personality, his character, the quality that he has as a goalkeeper and what he’s going to offer. I think he’s a young goalkeeper, but he’s got huge, huge potential.”

There was certainly no doubt that Arsenal needed competition for Bernd Leno in goal. The Germany international has generally been a net positive for the team since joining, but the only alternatives available to Mikel Arteta were Runar Alex Runarsson and the u23s.

Then there’s the fact that Leno’s contract only has a couple of years left on it, and at the start of the summer it even seemed like he might leave the club. Whilst that never panned out, it only emphasised the potential problem for Arsenal without him.

The club have made their move to resolve the issue, it’s up to Ramsdale to provide the solution that Arteta suggests he will.