By Jonny Payne
Aaron Ramsey signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal earlier this week and with Cesc Fabregas’ future uncertain, he could now become the focal point of the side for years to come. Just as Wenger has built his team around Fabregas in recent years, he should now look to surround the Welshman with the players needed to enhance his undoubted quality.
Ramsey made his debut at the age of 17 and he has not looked back. Before his horrendous injury against Stoke in February, he was quickly becoming a valuable member of the team and Arsenal’s number 16 had also become the heartbeat of the Welsh national side.
Speaking after signing his new deal, Ramsey told Arsenal.com:
“I’m very happy here at Arsenal, it’s a great club and I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here. Every player wants to play in a team where they can play football and I feel that this is the way it should be played, so that’s one of the reasons I signed a new contract.”
The midfielder added: “I think I can still develop my game a lot, and I’m in the right place to do that with the support of the manager and also a squad of very talented players.
“I’m convinced the next few years will be a time where my career kicks on to a new level, it’s an exciting time to be part of the Club.”
The 19 year-old is leading a group of extremely talented young British prospects at Arsenal including Jack Wilshere, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Henri Lansbury and Kyle Bartley, not to mention Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs who have also cemented places in the first team squad.
While there are many possible replacements for Fabregas, if he does leave, Ramsey will ultimately be the Spaniard’s long-term successor and Wenger may even decide against a recruiting a replacement due to Ramsey’s burgeoning reputation. This seems unlikely, however, as Ramsey will need time to recover from his current injury. You only need to look at Eduardo’s recovery process to see why this could be a problem – and many would argue that the Croatian international has never fully recovered.
Many players from continental Europe grew up supporting the European giants such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus and you cannot blame players such as Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini for wanting to return to the clubs they supported as children, but with British players it is a different situation.
Ramsey and the aforementioned crop of young British players would have grown up watching English football. While some, like Walcott (who is a reported Liverpool fan) grew up supporting clubs other than Arsenal, it is unlikely Arsene Wenger would be bullied into selling to a local rival unless he wanted to and it is unlikely these players would engineer a move away from the club.
Ashley Cole you all cry! But hear me out, Wenger would not want that situation to happen again, and anyway with Gael Clichy emerging he may have felt it was worth making some money from a greedy player whose heart was not in the club. Ramsey, Wilshere, Gibbs are all level-headed talents with their feet on the ground and they are set to become the spine of the team for years to come.
Just as Manchester United’s golden generation, led by Ryan Giggs dominated at home and abroad so now another Welshman, Aaron Ramsey, will aim to do the same with Arsenal’s – and with his talent it might just work.
Would you like to see Arsenal’s team built around Ramsey?
