Aaron Ramsey to Juventus: Arsenal star’s agent to meet with other clubs before deciding on summer transfer
JAMES OLLEY
Juventus are in pole position to sign Aaron Ramsey – but the Arsenal midfielder’s representatives are set to meet with other clubs before making a final decision on his future.
Reports from Italy suggest the 28-year-old has agreed in principle a five-year contract worth £140,000-a-week with the Serie A champions with a medical rumoured to be lined up for Sunday ahead of a move when his current deal expires in the summer.
However, Standard Sport understands Ramsey is yet to confirm where he will play his football next season and further meetings are planned in the coming days to explore other options including two clubs in Spain.
Inter Milan, AC Milan, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have long been mooted as possible suitors but the Gunners £40million asking price to do business this month appears to have deterred Liverpool and Man United from formalising their interest.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is an admirer of Ramsey’s energy and believes he would be perfectly suited to Liverpool’s high-pressing game, but with the club top of the Premier League table after a significant summer outlay, a move now looks unlikely, with
United, meanwhile, have watched Ramsey’s career closely ever since failing to sign him when Ramsey joined Arsenal from Cardiff in 2008. They enquired about him last summer but Jose Mourinho has since departed as manager and United are unlikely to do much significant rebuilding in January given they have an interim manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It is unclear which Spanish clubs are still in the frame but should Barcelona be among them, it raises the possibility Ramsey could yet be used in a makeweight as Arsenal pursue a deal for Denis Suarez.
The Gunners want to sign Suarez on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer but Barca only a want a straight sale in the region of £20m.
A move to Juventus remains the most likely outcome for Ramsey, however, with the club increasingly confident they will win the race for his signature. He is set to become their second highest-paid player behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ramsey is thought to be excited by the prospect of working with Ronaldo and winning trophies in Italy; Juventus have won the last seven League titles and reached two of the previous four Champions League finals.
There is no prospect he will extend his stay at Arsenal after the club withdrew a contract offer in September. A new deal was left unsigned for several months but despite Ramsey indicating he would sign, the club opted instead to begin reducing a bloated wage bill.
The decision was taken above head coach Unai Emery’s head but he was thought to have reservations over Ramsey’s long-term value to his preferred style of play.
