England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has lost his place in the Arsenal squad and has played second fiddle to David Raya who arrived on loan from Brentford last summer.
The Gunners paid an initial loan fee of £3m for the Spaniard and have the option to make the deal for £27m permanent towards the start of the upcoming summer window.
Raya has started every game for the Gunners in the Premier League and Champions League, barring a game against PSV and a league tie against Brentford last year.
However, the 27-year-old goalkeeper is ineligible to play against his parent club Brentford on Saturday and this would allow Ramsdale to make a rare appearance in the starting lineup.
Ramsdale has been one of the most influential players in the Mikel Arteta regime over the past two seasons, but surprisingly Raya is ahead in the pecking order in the starting XI.
England manager Gareth Southgate will pick his squad for this month’s international friendlies and has been keeping tabs on Ramsdale’s situation at the club.
The 25-year-old fears losing his place in the England squad ahead of the European Championships and will be under huge pressure to put on a show at the Emirates tonight.
But Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has backed Ramsdale and believes the outcasted goalkeeper has enough credibility to reclaim his place in the Three Lions squad.
“I don’t know how Gareth [Southgate] is thinking, but if I put that situation into my eyes and my perspective and how I make a decision, I would judge Aaron not for what he has done in one day but what he has done in the last two or three seasons and the consistency he has shown, the quality he has shown.
“It would give me no reason to make another decision.”
The North London outcast was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea in the January transfer window but Arteta was reluctant to let the England international leave midway through the season.
If Arsenal proceeds to sign Raya on a permanent deal in the summer, Ramsdale will unhesitatingly push for a move out of the Emirates in search of regular football.