Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has denied a potential rift with goalkeeper Bernd Leno after Aaron Ramsdale replaced the German goalkeeper in goal for the Gunners in their previous two games. However, the Spaniard has urged Leno to rise up to the challenge on offer by Ramsdale in order to retake his spot in the first team.
Bernd Leno was dropped by Arteta for last Saturday’s victory over Norwich City and he also sat out the game against Burnley at Turf Moor as Ramsdale was given the nod between the sticks. Soon after Ramsdale move to Arsenal, reports in Germany suggested that Leno reacted badly to the club signing a new goalkeeper.
Nevertheless, Leno started the first three Premier League games of the season for Arsenal but the North London side suffered defeat in each of those games. Mikel Arteta then decided to drop the German and give Ramsdale (who made his Arsenal debut in the EFL second-round game against West Brom, which Arsenal won 6-0) his opportunity against Norwich City last weekend. With Ramsdale in goal, Arsenal managed to get their first PL win of the season and the English goalkeeper also kept a clean sheet.
Aaron Ramsdale then kept a hold of his No.1 spot against Burnley this weekend as Arsenal managed to get a 1-0 win over the Clarets. With three clean sheets in as many games since joining Arsenal, Aaron Ramsdale has clearly had the backing of the manager. But it appears that Bernd Leno isn’t too happy with this.
Reports claimed that Leno and Arteta may have had a falling out due to which Ramsdale was preferred in goal. However, Arteta has responded to those rumours.
When asked whether there was a rift between himself and Leno, Arteta said, “No, that’s not true. He responded, you can be frustrated, but he was top with his teammates in training with everything so that is not true.”
The 39-year-old then added, “I think I am the one who picks the team at the weekend and sometimes I read things that I haven’t decided yet.”
Mikel Arteta concluded by stating that he expects Leno to rise up to the challenge and improve his own game to get back into contention, “We are just trying to bring players that can raise the level of the player that is playing the position, the level of the team, the level of the club. This is the only reason. Obviously, for Bernd, it wasn’t a pleasing communication when I told him that he wasn’t playing. But he’s a top professional and a top person.”
