After making his first trip back to the Emirates on Saturday, Aaron Ramsdale was brought to tears by a raptrous ovation from Arsenal supporters.

The goalkeeper left his three-year tenure in north London behind joining Southampton on a permanent £25 million contract during the summer.

After lagging behind David Raya in Mikel Arteta’s pecking order, Ramsdale earned 89 overall Gunners appearances but left in search of more game time.

He is still a great popular at his previous team, though, and the stopper was unable to stop the waterworks during the warm-ups before kick-off.

Following great applause and cheers, a very distraught Ramsdale was shown wiping away tears with his gloves.

 

Aaron Ramsdale broke down in tears after a warm reception on his Arsenal return on Satuday

 

The goalkeeper dried his eyes with his gloves ahead of Southampton’s game at the Emirates

Seeking greater game time, Ramsdale left his three-year residence at the club.

Then he wink cheekily and gave the audience a thumbs-up.

Previously of Bournemouth and Sheffield United, Ramsdale only participated in six Premier League games last season but has been always present for the Saints this campaign.

Actually, the 26-year-old has begun all five of Southampton’s top-flight games.

Ramsdale claimed he moved down to the south coast since he had no ambition to “win trophies if I was sitting on the bench.”

‘If I was sitting on the bench, it [winning a trophy] wouldn’t have meant as much to me,’ he said on the BBC’s Football Focus programme.

I simply wanted to kick some football. When I was young, I wanted to play football, not to sit on a bench. My goal was to get out and play, hence I’m fortunate to have landed here.

 

Ramsdale made just a handful of appearances last season before moving in a £25million deal

Mikel Arteta stated Ramsdale had the “respect and admiration” of his former colleagues.

Arteta said he had phoned Ramsdale following the agreed-upon transfer and praised him for earning the “respect and admiration” from his staff and team mates.

“He is a player we loved a lot, very charismatic, and he truly left his fingerprints here on the club with the way he was,” Arteta said. ‘Seeing him will be quite fantastic.

‘I really appreciated what he done. There was much of noise surrounding him when we signed. We believed in his potential and thus enabled him to create the surroundings he required. Of all us, he earned the respect and adoration.

Then things changed since this is an elite sport and that is inevitable.We decided to split ways and perhaps he is appreciative since it was challenging to handle the scenario naturally.