Darren Bent claims that Arsenal outcast is ‘better’ than £10m Newcastle star

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TalkSPORT presenter Darren Bent has claimed that Arsenal outcast Aaron Ramsdale would get into the Newcastle United team over Nick Pope.

Ramsdale lost his starting spot for the Gunners when Mikel Arteta introduced new man David Raya in between the sticks.

Darren Bent has now claimed that Ramsdale could go to a number of top teams in England and replace their starting keeper, including Newcastle with Nick Pope.

Darren Bent: Ramsdale is a better goalkeeper

There are a lot of similarities that you can draw between the two goalkeepers. Both have proven to be exceptional shot-stoppers in their time in the Premier League, but their ability with the ball at their feet is what has let them down.

It didn’t feel as big of an issue for Newcastle prior to that game against Liverpool where Pope got himself sent off, but ever since then it’s almost as if the £10m man has been trying to prove something to himself.

It’s quite clear that Pope is nowhere near good enough with his feet as Eddie Howe would like him to be, but the question is whether or not Ramsdale is a big enough improvement in that area to warrant replacing him at Newcastle.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Bent said: “When you look at the league table and you look at Aaron Ramsdale, I believe there are a lot of clubs – not everywhere – where he can go to because I think he is better than their goalkeeper now. Tottenham and Villa, no, but Newcastle I would have him over Pope.”

Ramsdale vs Pope: What the stats show

Though Ramsdale may have time on his side, looking at their stats from last season, the Arsenal man is not lightyears ahead of Pope who has been key for Newcastle.

In fact, the stats show that Pope recorded a higher save percentage, higher clean sheet percentage, completed more defensive actions outside of his box and had a higher pass completion than Ramsdale last season.

It’s not as simple to list several stats and say that Pope is better, we all know that, but it does show that it feels like the 31-year-old has been somewhat unfairly criticised because he’s not playing for one of the traditional big six clubs.

One thing that Ramsdale does have over Pope is room to grow and improve. At 25-years-old he is still very young for a goalkeeper and has time to develop his game and adapt to the modern era that requires a keeper to use his feet.