Eckert Affirms Ramsdale's Role in Southampton Goalkeeping Team

Aaron Ramsdale has slipped to fourth in Southampton’s goalkeeping pecking order, but head coach Tonda Eckert insists the former England international still has a part to play at St Mary’s.

The 28-year-old, who arrived from Arsenal in the summer of 2024 after losing his place to David Raya, endured a brutal first full season on the south coast. He started 30 Premier League games as Saints went down, then spent last term on loan at Newcastle, making 23 appearances under Eddie Howe.

He is back now. Back at a club still stuck in the second tier, still carrying the scars of the Spygate scandal that saw them thrown out of last season’s play-off final. And back in a very different role.

Ramsdale has been turning out for Southampton’s under-21s this season – at his own request.

“The reality is that Rambo's story at the football club has started before I came in,” Eckert told BBC Radio Solent. “We've had honest conversations from the very first day of pre-season to the last day of the transfer window and he's still a part of the group.

“The expectations for him are clear to support the team in the best way and he's been very professional in doing that so far.”

The transfer window closed without the move Ramsdale wanted. For a goalkeeper who has played in the Champions League and for England, the path now looks set: stay, train, support, and wait until at least January.

“Let's see what happens,” Eckert said. “Aaron also became a father for the second time a couple of days ago, my expectation is that he is a Southampton player.”

Peretz locked in as No 1

If Ramsdale’s future feels uncertain, Eckert’s hierarchy does not.

Saints’ undisputed first choice is Daniel Peretz, signed permanently this summer after impressing on loan in the second half of last season. The former Bayern Munich and Hamburg keeper did enough in those months to convince Southampton to pay a reported £6m to bring him in for good.

“Me and the club have made a clear commitment to Daniel as our number one and that stands,” Eckert said. “I think he deserves that off the back of some brilliant performances in the last season.”

Behind Peretz, George Long retains the number two spot. Eckert stressed that nothing has changed there either, keeping faith with the keeper who deputised last term.

“My commitment to Longy as number two stands as well,” he added.

Jamie Jones, 37, returned to the club on deadline day, resuming his role as a training goalkeeper and experienced presence in the group.

“That group has worked really well together last year as well as Jamie as the training goalkeeper and this is the way that we will go forward,” Eckert said.

So Ramsdale, once a headline signing and a Premier League ever-present, now finds himself on the fringes of a second-tier squad, training, mentoring, playing youth fixtures and waiting.

January will come quickly. The question is whether his next big save will still be in Southampton colours.