Aaron Ramsdale breaks down in tears on pitch after Arsenal fans’ reception on return to Emirates Stadium

AARON RAMSDALE was flooded with emotion arsenic helium broke down successful tears connected his archetypal instrumentality to the Emirates since leaving this summer.

The England goalkeeper joined Southampton connected deadline time successful a four-year woody worthy £25m, bringing his three-year Gunners stint to an end.

Ramsdale was near visibly affectional aft helium received a lukewarm reception from Arsenal fans arsenic the Saints look Mikel Arteta's broadside successful North London.

The Emirates was little than half-full earlier the location fans were unanimous successful giving Ramsdale a circular of applause during the lukewarm ups.

The stopper was incapable to clasp backmost the waterworks arsenic helium headed for the passageway earlier kick-off.

After being treated to wide applause and chants, Ramsdale was pictured utilizing his gloves to hitch distant tears.

The 26-year-old past flashed a thumbs-up and a cheeky wink astatine the crowd.

Ramsdale produced respective large saves successful the archetypal half, arsenic Arsenal were held to a 0-0 scoreline astatine half-time.

He made 89 appearances successful full for Arsenal but near successful hunt of much crippled clip aft falling down David Raya successful the pecking order.

Him and his family, peculiarly his dad, were heartbroken to spot him suffer his spot to Raya, past connected loan, astatine the commencement of past season.

The determination seemed harsh from Arteta, arsenic Ramsdale hadn't made excessively galore mistakes successful their archetypal rubric charging play successful 2022-23.

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But the Raya decision, nevertheless brutal, has proven beryllium the close one, with the erstwhile Spaniard proving to beryllium 1 of the league's best.

Ramsdale played conscionable six Prem games past play but has been ever contiguous for the Saints this term.

Ramsdale said helium made the determination down to the southbound seashore due to the fact that helium had nary tendency to '"win trophies if I was sitting connected the bench."

He told the BBC's Football Focus show: "If I was sitting connected the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn't person meant that overmuch to me.

"I conscionable wanted to play football. As a kid I wanted to play shot to play, not to conscionable beryllium connected a bench."

Ramsdale became the ninth goalkeeper to play against Arsenal in the Prem having antecedently played for them successful the competition.

The lone 1 of the erstwhile 8 to support a cleanable expanse successful his archetypal specified lucifer against the Gunners is Emiliano Martinez, successful a 3-0 triumph astatine the Emirates with Aston Villa successful November 2020.