AFCNEWS

  Ramsdale left Arsenal this summer / Matthew Lewis/GettyImages Aaron Ramsdale insists he has no hard feelings about his  exit  from Arsenal, admitting it was a simple case of a manager preferring a different player. Ramsdale was key to Arsenal's resurgence and enjoyed two successful years as the starting goalkeeper between 2021 and 2023, only to be surprisingly benched following the arrival of David Raya ahead of the 2023/24 season.With Raya joining permanently this summer, the writing was on the wall for Ramsdale, who left to join Southampton in a £25m deal. Asked whether he was bitter about the way his  Arsenal  career ended, Ramsdale told  talkSPORT : “No, I've been around football long enough that the manager's decision is the manager's decision. I tried my best to change his mind and force my way back in. His mind was set and at the same time David had a great season. "You can have all the upset or qualms about being taken out but when someone else is...

   Martin Odegaard sustains brutal ankle injury ahead of tough Arsenal schedule The 25-year-old was hauled off in the second half of Norway's 2-1 win at home to Austria in the Nations League on Monday night, having twisted his ankle at an alarming angle when competing with Christoph Baumgartner for a loose ball. Odegaard was substituted after receiving treatment for several minutes, and Norway manager Stale Solbakken admitted the injury didn't look good after the game: "It looked bad in the dressing room as well. Arsenal  captain Martin Odegaard could be sidelined for a number of weeks after sustaining a nasty-looking ankle injury on international duty. "Yes, it's a sprain, and as those of us who had played football know, with luck it can turn out OK if the ligaments aren’t torn. "I saw he was sitting with the physiotherapists around him but he had no chance to continue and we know it was an ankle sprain. Norway team doctor Ola Sand added: "He got a smal...

  Kai Havertz's neat lob against Brighton & Hove Albion has won the Emirates Goal of the Month award for August. The German striker received 28% of the votes cast, beating Bukayo Saka by just one percent to finish on top of the pile in the search for the best strike of the month. It was Bukayo who set up the goal, beating Lewis Dunk to a long ball and flicking the ball into space for Kai to burst into. His speed won the race to it, and as Bart Verbruggen raced off his line to narrow the angle, Kai just neatly lobbed the ball over the shot-stopper and watched his land into the net. It was his first-ever goal from outside the area in the Premier League, and more importantly his 18th goal involvement in his last 21 Premier League games, and his fifth in his last five appearances at Emirates Stadium.

  Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard wants trophies and titles to back up his assertion that the Gunners are the 'perfect club' for him. Odegaard has fulfilled his potential to become one of the world's leading midfielders since making the move to north London from Real Madrid in 2021, making 156 appearances for Arsenal to date. The 25-year-old is set to become a father in the coming months, and in an interview with TV2, he explained just how content he is with all aspects of his life. "I feel I am established in my life now. I feel like I'm at the perfect club and I'm fine at home too. So now I feel that things are in place," he said. "The only thing missing is for us to start winning titles with Arsenal and make it to the championship with Norway."Arsenal have come agonisingly close to ending their long wait for a Premier League title over the last two seasons, but were twice beaten to first place by Manchester City. The Gunners have not won the ...

  Barcelona 'hatch new plan' to sign Nico Williams ahead of Arsenal & Chelsea Barcelona failed with move for Williams during summer transfer window Winger also wanted by Arsenal & Chelsea Report reveals Barca's plans for 2025 transfer Barcelona are already planning to reignite their pursuit of Athletic Club winger Nico Williams in the summer of 2025, a report has revealed. Williams was one of the most-wanted talents in Europe during the summer  transfer  window and he  recently revealed  he knocked back "many offers" in favour of spending at least one more season with his boyhood side. According to  SPORT , Barcelona's plan was always to wait and sign Williams in 2025, when they expect to be able to afford his £49m release clause, but his dazzling form at Euro 2024 attracted interest from Arsenal and Chelsea and forced them to act ahead of schedule. Williams declined the chance to move to Camp Nou this summer but  Barcelona  are still sai...

  Bukayo Saka has scooped our men’s Player of the Month award for August. The winger received 42% of our supporters' votes to narrowly pip David Raya to the trophy, after enjoying a superb start to the campaign that saw him nominated for the Premier League’s Player of the Month award. Bukayo became only the second Gunner ever to notch an assist in each of his first three Premier League games of a season by setting up Kai Havertz twice against Wolves and Brighton, as well as Thomas Partey at Aston Villa, keeping Thierry Henry in good company who also achieved the feat in 2004/05. He also managed to get on the scoresheet for the first time this campaign on the opening day when he netted in trademark fashion against Wolves, cutting inside from the right and flashing a shot into the net past the helpless Jose Sa. It is the eighth time in his Gunners career that Bukayo has been the recipient of our monthly award, including two successes last season when he claimed September and February...