Newcastle United transfer news: Aaron Ramsdale is set to join Newcastle United from Southampton.

Aaron Ramsdale’s move to Newcastle United is slowly approaching completion. The Southampton goalkeeper will move to St James’ Park on an initial season long loan deal with the Magpies having an option to buy him next summer.

Ramsdale’s signing will be Newcastle United’s second senior transfer of the summer following their move for Anthony Elanga. Although James Trafford had been their number one target to strengthen their options in goal, Ramsdale will move to St James’ Park with a wealth of Premier League experience and is a very good option for Eddie Howe to have.

Howe, of course, knows Ramsdale well and worked with the goalkeeper during a brief time at Bournemouth together. Although their one campaign as head coach and goalkeeper ended in relegation, something Ramsdale has got used to during his time in the top-flight, there is hope that he can revitalise his career in the north east and push Nick Pope for a starting spot on a weekly basis.

Whilst Howe and his squad continue their pre-season in Asia, Ramsdale has travelled to the north east to complete a medical ahead of his proposed move to St James’ Park. Sky Sports have posted videos on social media of Ramsdale arriving on Tyneside with reporter Keith Downie writing on X: ‘VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Aaron Ramsdale has arrived in Newcastle to undergo his medical. The 27-year-old keeper flew in by private jet this afternoon. Ramsdale will sign a season-long loan deal (loan fee £4m) with option to make permanent next summer. #NUFC second signing of the summer!’

Newcastle United are expected to trim their goalkeeping department after announcing the signing of Ramsdale with Odyssea Vlachodimos expected to leave on loan whilst Martin Dubravka could also be sold this summer. The Slovakian was heavily-linked with a move away from the club in January, but remained on Tyneside after a stellar run of performances at the turn of the year.

Eddie Howe’s praise for Aaron Ramsdale

Speaking to TalkSport back in 2020, Howe described Ramsdale’s impact at Bournemouth as ‘magnificent’ and praised the goalkeeper’s ability to adapt to life as a Premier League goalkeeper so quickly: “Aaron has been the big surprise,” Howe said.

“I don’t want to say surprise because I really think he’s an exceptional goalkeeper. But to everyone else a surprise because they wouldn’t have heard too much about him prior to this season.

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“He has accepted the challenge brilliantly for a young goalkeeper, which is probably the hardest position to blood young players in. He has taken that responsibility and never looked back and to this point, he has been magnificent for us.”

Ramsdale would ultimately spend just one season as Howe’s first-choice goalkeeper, playing 37 of their 38 Premier League matches during the 2019/20 campaign. The Cherries would be relegated from the top-flight at the end of that season with Ramsdale moving on to Sheffield United that summer.

He would then taste relegation again the following season as the Blades slumped during a season played behind-closed-doors. Ramsdale’s form, however, would earn him a move to Arsenal before the relegation curse struck again at St Mary’s last season.