Dream, realistic, wildcard, Squawka suggests: where next if Aaron Ramsey leaves Arsenal?

Contract talks between Aaron Ramsey and Arsenal have apparently reached an impasse.

The Gunners have allegedly withdrawn an offer that had previously been agreed and essentially brief that no new deal will be incoming. This means that Ramsey will either be sold in January or be free to negotiate a summer exit on a free transfer.

This is a genuinely shocking turn of events for a player who joined Arsenal a decade ago and has made positive sounds about playing for the club under Unai Emery. But now the question becomes: if he were to leave, where would he go?

Now, this could take into account a sale in January or a free in the summer, but we’ve come up with four possible options for Ramsey should he leave the Emirates.

Dream: Real Madrid

When you dream, you have to dream big. And there are few things in football that are bigger than Real Madrid.

The three-time defending Champions of Europe, the 13-times Champions of Europe. The Ric Flair of the Champions League, all bedazzled and struttingly confident.

For Ramsey, there is also a personal connection as his friend and compatriot Gareth Bale is already at Madrid, and a well-established member of the squad too. This would provide Ramsey with an immediate friend in the squad, and Ramsey could also help Bale with some of the adaptation issues that have plagued his time in Spain (his Spanish is still limited but learning a language is more fun with a friend). The pair have always played well together, and that would be a great help.

On the pitch Ramsey would provide Los Blancos with options and depth behind Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and do so on a free transfer, thus freeing up funds for them to sign a superstar forward (which they so clearly want to do).

Ramsey’s rugged attitude and ability to score goals would make him a fan-favourite at the Santiago Bernabeu too. But this would have to be a dream because, let’s face it, Real Madrid’s priorities lie in other areas of the pitch and they have enough promising midfielders to squeeze in as it is.

Realistic: Juventus

If there’s one thing Juventus love, it’s signing midfielders on a free.

Paul Pogba from Manchester United, Sami Khedira from Real Madrid, Emre Can from Liverpool. To this end alone, Aaron Ramsey would make a very sensible purchase for the Italian giants. He’d be a quality midfielder coming in for cheap, one that would add to their depth and score enough goals to be useful.

For Ramsey, this move would represent a challenge, as he would need to adapt to a new country and culture – but the league itself would prove very suited to his particular skill-set. He wouldn’t be burdened with being the starter but would be able to compete to start, which would drive him to perform at his highest level. Moreover, he would get to play with great forwards such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala as well as win league titles, something which he’s not managed to do with Arsenal.

For these reasons – but especially because of the free transfer thing – Aaron Ramsey joining Juventus is the most realistic option. It’s just something that looks likely to happen, y’know?

Wildcard: Milan

We may never know exactly why Aaron Ramsey’s contract talks with Arsenal broke down, but the fact that there was an offer agreed between the two parties and then that offer was withdrawn shortly after chief executive Ivan Gazidis announced he was leaving the club hints at something. It would seem as though Gazidis may have been the architect of the offer, which the Arsenal board have since decided against.

How is this relevant to Ramsey’s destination? Well, guess where Gazidis is going after Arsenal? Milan. He takes over as chief executive of the Italian giants starting on December 1st, and a big Premier League player like Aaron Ramsey would be a big coup for him to land. Either in a signing, or a free transfer in the summer. And it’s a stadium he’s already scored in, too!

Sure, it’d be something of a sideways (or backwards?) move on the pitch, and who knows if Milan could even afford the wages the Welshman would demand (these reasons are why it’s a wildcard) but Ramsey would get the chance to be an absolute superstar for a historic Italian side.

Squawka Suggests: Chelsea

There are loads of great clubs that Ramsey could end up at once he leaves the Emirates, with some fantastic countries and cities to play in. But perhaps the best choice of all wouldn’t even force him to leave the city of London; Aaron Ramsey should join Chelsea.

That may seem like a drastic move, and sure the Arsenal fans wouldn’t take it very well at all, but it’d be the best move for his career. Firstly, no worries about learning a new culture or language, that always helps. Secondly, he won’t have to move house.

Thirdly and most importantly; he would slot perfectly into Maurizio Sarri’s side and system.

What Ramsey does well is carry the ball forward, and then arrive late in the box and score goals. This makes him an almost perfect fit for the “Hamsik” role in a Sarri midfield. Chelsea are currently trying to squeeze Mateo Kovacic or Ross Barkley into that role, but neither bring the sheer goalscoring that Ramsey could do – and consider that Hamsik is Napoli’s all-time top scorer, so having a midfielder that score goals is important to the way Sarri plays.

In terms of the transfer, well it’d be on a free so Arsenal couldn’t oppose. He’d be able to link up with former team-mates Cesc Fabregas and Olivier Giroud; moreover, if Eden Hazard sticks around he’d get to play with a world-class wing forward who would provide him with countless goalscoring chances.

He would absolutely thrive and we would finally be able to see the best of Aaron Ramsey. It’s such a perfect move that if it doesn’t happen, one could only consider wherever Ramsey does go a disappointing choice.

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