Should Arsenal bring Aaron Ramsey back to the Emirates this summer?
Should Arsenal bring Aaron Ramsey back to the Emirates this summer?
By Peter White
There’s just one game of the Premier League season remaining, and it is surely safe to say that plans for 2021/22 are firmly underway at the Emirates after a largely underwhelming campaign.
An unlikely shot at European qualification remains a possibility following Wednesday night’s 3-1 win at London neighbours Crystal Palace, with the Gunners just one point adrift of Spurs and Everton in the race for seventh place.
Two goals from Nicolas Pepe either side of a late Gabriel Martinelli strike got the job done at Selhurst Park, with Christian Benteke finding the net for the Eagles in Roy Hodgson’s final home game in charge.
Victory at home to Brighton on Sunday - alongside both Spurs and Everton dropping points - would earn Arsenal a spot in the newly-created UEFA Europa Conference League next season.
While hardly as glamorous as the coveted Champions League, or even the Europa League - in which Mikel Arteta’s men fell at the semi-final stage this season - preserving their place on the continent would surely represent some success after a swathe of disappointment.
Arsenal know they need to attack next season with aplomb, and Arteta has already set out his intentions to oversee a major squad clear-out this summer with the likes of Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all likely to depart.
Such outgoings leave room for the Spaniard to bring in his own players as he looks to continue moulding a squad capable of recapturing Arsenal’s former glories, with a top-four finish and domestic cup success likely targets next year.
One rumour circling north London is of the possible return of former Gunners midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who left the Emirates for Italian giants Juventus in the summer of 2019 after 11 years with the club.
Still only 30 and having scored 64 goals in 369 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, several supporters have called for Arteta to snap up the Wales international, who is reportedly on the cusp of leaving Turin.
Out of favour with manager Andrea Pirlo with just 65 Juve appearances under his belt - and having been left out of this season's Coppa Italia semi-finals and final as the Old Lady went on to win the trophy - it is rumoured that an offer as low as £10m could be accepted for Ramsey’s services.
Fellow Premier League side Liverpool are apparently chasing his signature, so Arsenal may have to act quickly if they want to seal a reunion with their former midfield general. The big question is: should they?
Sign him up
Arteta knows all about Ramsey having featured alongside him during his Gunners playing days, with the pair lining up in midfield as the Gunners defeated Hull 3-2 in the 2014 FA Cup final to end a nine-year wait for a trophy.
Ramsey was the hero that day with an extra-time winner that clinched glory, while he played his part in FA Cup success the following year and repeated his heroics in the 2017 final, with a 79th-minute winner against Chelsea.
Such an attacking threat in midfield has been lacking at Arsenal since Ramsey left for Italy - with the Welshman’s 14 assists in his final Emirates campaign more than Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi combined last season.
While each member of that quartet could be getting ready to bid farewell to the Premier League, arguably Arsenal’s most potent attacking threat in midfield - Martin Odegaard - doesn’t look likely to hang around after his loan spell ends.
That could open the door for Ramsey’s return to the English capital, where - even as a squad player - he would promise the energy, desire and attacking threat that has so often been lacking under Arteta.
A fee of £10m isn't much in today's bloated transfer market and the signing of Ramsey at that price would potentially allow further reinforcements to be brought into the midfield ranks as well.
A recent Twitter post from the official Arsenal account reflecting on Ramsey’s FA Cup exploits led to calls for the initiation of a romantic reunion. Who knows, perhaps Rambo will be able to recreate such moments in the future…
Does Rambo return make sense?
While the possible re-signing of former greats often seems appealing, there are plenty of reasons to suggest that the return of Ramsey doesn’t make sense.
Firstly, his failure to fully establish himself in Juve black and white is partially due to his susceptibility to pick up injuries, meaning he has only started 24 Serie A games across two seasons.
The fact that Ramsey recovered from a career-threatening leg break to become one of the first names on Arsenal’s team sheet suggests time on the sidelines shouldn’t impact his form, but does Arteta have the patience to persist with someone he might not be able to rely on for fitness?
Then, there is the financial question. A cut-price signing fee of around £10m sounds worth pursuing, but it is reported that Ramsey earns around £400,000 per week in Turin - a figure the Gunners will surely be unable to match.
From a footballing sense, it is clear that Ramsey has plenty to offer but Emile Smith Rowe’s emergence this season suggests he could progress further in such an attacking midfield role next season.
Finally, the likes of Brighton’s Yves Bissouma have been touted for a move to the Emirates. While perhaps less of an attacking threat than Ramsey, the 24-year-old could afford the likes of Thomas Partey to be more creative going forward.
The Mali international would likely command a higher fee than Ramsey but would demand lower wages and offer more years of service, suggesting he should remain a top priority.
That's not to say Ramsey should be counted out. If he can be brought in on an affordable deal and maintain some fitness, his on-field ability would surely promise short-term benefits on the pitch, while his experience and previous success could stand the rest of the squad - including Smith Rowe - in good stead.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
