SAINTS are hopeful of landing the permanent signing of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale following an agreement on a fee with Arsenal.

The news was met with adoration amongst the fanbase, who feel they have finally landed a "world-class" player in the 26 year old.

Manager Russell Martin admitted he would be a "fantastic addition" if Saints could get the deal worth up to £25million over the line.

The club initially had reservations over signing a goalkeeper permanently with injured number one Gavin Bazunu set to return in 2025.

They had tracked the availability of several shot-stoppers, including Feyenoord's Justin Bijlow - who travelled to England before a failed medical.

A loan deal was favoured but the Gunners insisted on selling second-choice Ramsdale, to fund a move for their latest target Joan Garcia.

Aaron Ramsdale lost his number one Arsenal shirt to David RayaAaron Ramsdale lost his number one Arsenal shirt to David Raya (Image: PA)

Saints, following the £15million sale of midfielder Charly Alcaraz to Flamengo, decided to pull the trigger on the man they feel is an instant upgrade.

How much does Ramsdale improve Southampton's starting team? What attributes put him ahead of play-off hero Alex McCarthy?

Not many would disagree that Ramsdale immediately becomes the best goalkeeper of the group but you need some evidence to support that.

Since the start of the 2022/23 season, Ramsdale sits in the mid-point of matches played (52) compared to McCarthy's 20 and Bazunu's 86.

Wyscout data calculates a 'prevented goals' metric in which 0 means you have conceded the exact amount of goals you should have for the quality of chances you have faced. Anything above 0 means you have outperformed your xG.

Despite playing almost exclusively in the Premier League or Europe, Ramsdale has a superior prevented goals statistic to McCarthy and Bazunu since the start of 2022/23. He boasts -1.87 to McCarthy's -8.97 and Bazunu's extremely poor -24.53.

Playing for Arsenal, Ramsdale naturally has faced less shots but boasts the best save percentage rate at 68.13 per cent, versus 59.77 per cent and 60.63 per cent.

Ramsdale's finest hour for Arsenal came in a title-defining match at Liverpool's Anfield in 2023, in which he produced two world-class stoppage-time shots. 

Another physics-defying Ramsdale save from earlier in his Arsenal career, preventing James Maddison's free-kick, went viral in October 2021.

McCarthy's shot-stopping has not been a problem for Saints and is certainly not the reason the club felt they needed to bring someone else.

If you could combine his best attributes with Bazunu's footwork, you would have as close to a perfect goalkeeper as Saints could hope for.

It is also worth noting that both McCarthy (6.5) and Bazunu (7.9) stopped a higher percentage of crosses coming into the box than Ramsdale (5.8) in 2022/23.

The reason Gunners boss Mikel Arteta took Ramsdale out of his side was to bring in David Raya, who the Spaniard believes is better with his feet.

Stats show Ramsdale is going to be tested much more than he has been previously in this department when he starts to work under new boss Martin.

At a glance, the statistics also show Ramsdale has an 86.64 per cent pass success rate compared to McCarthy's 84.57 and Bazunu's superior 87.73.

Ramsdale has a more accurate long pass, though, and unsurprisingly has gone longer with the ball than McCarthy and Bazunu over the last two seasons.

From watching Ramsdale's clips, an initial heavy touch means he has tended to go long the vast majority of times he comes under pressure from an opponent.

A few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar yearA few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar year (Image: Wyscout)

A few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar yearA few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar year (Image: Wyscout)

A few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar yearA few examples of positions in which Ramsdale has played long under pressure in the last calendar year (Image: Wyscout)

Would this be coached out of him by Martin? Ramsdale is a good goalkeeper but not necessarily the messiah with the ball at his feet. 

In his last appearance for Arsenal, playing against Brentford due to loanee Raya's ineligibility, Yoanne Wissa stole a goal from Ramsdale.

Yoanne Wissa is gifted a goal when playing against ArsenalYoanne Wissa is gifted a goal when playing against Arsenal (Image: Wyscout)

Yoanne Wissa is gifted a goal when playing against ArsenalYoanne Wissa is gifted a goal when playing against Arsenal (Image: Wyscout)

Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson catches him in a similar fashion but it results in a goal kickNottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson catches him in a similar fashion but it results in a goal kick (Image: Wyscout)

Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson catches him in a similar fashion but it results in a goal kickNottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson catches him in a similar fashion but it results in a goal kick (Image: Wyscout)

Everyone will make mistakes in possession, but he probably sits below Bazunu in terms of ball-playing - although the Irishman is among the best in class.

Ramsdale's history against Saints is not exactly anything to write home about. He passed the ball straight to Alcaraz in a title decider in April 2023.

Saints were handed the initiative in the April 2023 clashSaints were handed the initiative in the April 2023 clash (Image: Wyscout)

Saints were handed the initiative in the April 2023 clashSaints were handed the initiative in the April 2023 clash (Image: Wyscout)

Earlier that season, at St Mary's, Ramsdale was caught looking at a pigeon on the pitch as Moi Elyounoussi set up Stuart Armstrong - both matches were drawn.

“If you ask me to concentrate on a match for 90 minutes, I'm finished. I can't do it. So that's why I get involved with the fans," Ramsdale has since said. 

"I'll sing along. If someone's giving me abuse, I'll give them a bit back. I have had my two or three minutes of sort of madness in my head - back to the football."

And yet, such is the positive reputation of the England international, that there is almost unanimous support for his potential arrival within the fanbase.

Once all technical traits have been assessed, Martin and Saints have been giving the final sign-off on new players based on attitude and character.

When asked this summer if he was happy to sit on the bench at EURO 2024, Ramsdale responded: "There is a population in England of 60 million or whatever.

"I'm living all of their dreams. And then there is one man living my dream on the pitch, and that one person is doing a hell of a job."

Aaron Ramsdale celebrates with England keeper Jordan PickfordAaron Ramsdale celebrates with England keeper Jordan Pickford (Image: PA)

Did this all start with Ramsdale turning up to watch pal David Brooks in a Hagrid costume? We heard unconfirmed whispers of a conversation with Martin after.

In Ramsdale, Saints are signing a much better shot-stopper than anything they have available at the club - and that will be the bulk of his work.

He has the skill set to improve Southampton's distribution, particularly with advancing to the final third of the pitch in as few passes as possible.

Ramsdale does not, however, solve McCarthy's biggest problem overnight. He will find himself more often in situations where has been burned before.

Under the pressure of an opponent with the ball at his feet, he has proven to be on some occasions too erratic and on others too casual.

The mechanics of the deal make it a win-win for Saints. If they stay up, they can afford to pay a little bit extra to Arsenal in all the relevant bonuses.

If they are unable to stay in the Premier League, Ramsdale is unlikely to have depreciated far in value and would be an easy sale if necessary.

Arsenal can afford to be really picky - for a club like Saints, he is a statement signing. Ramsdale could prove to be one of their best bits of summer business.