FA Cup champions Arsenal are set to offer midfielder Aaron Ramsey a new and improved contract, which will make him one of the club’s highest paid players.
The Welsh international’s current contract runs until 2019 and the Gunners want to tie him down to a long term contract and secure his future at the Emirates, so as to not risk losing him in this or next summer’s transfer window for a low price, as per the Daily Mail.
A report in the English publication states that he is just one of a number of players that Arsenal want to offer new contracts to this summer, with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain amongst others, who have only 1 season left on their current contracts.
Wenger & co will no doubt be looking to hold on to some of their best players before the official opening of what will be a crucial transfer window and their failure to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, will likely make doing business even more difficult and expensive.
Should the gunners fail to secure any of the other aforementioned players’ future past this season, then they risk losing some top class talent for free – which besides the severe depletion of quality within the ranks will also prove to be a huge financial loss.
The former Cardiff City midfielder, who already earns over £100,000 per week, will be offered a significant increase in his wages. His wage new wage package will see him earn almost as much as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Ramsey, when he wasn’t been injured or struggling with fitness in the previous campaign, has had a good season overall. It ended brightly for the Welshman, after he scored the winner in Arsenal’s record breaking FA Cup victory against Chelsea at Wembley.
He managed to make only 32 appearances this past season and started only 22 of them. In that time he has scored 4 goals and registered 5 assists, his lowest tally in an Arsenal shirt since the 2012-13 campaign. However, towards the end of campaign, he flourished in Wenger’s new formation.
The Frenchman switched to a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Ramsey and Granit Xhaka making up the center of midfielder. As a result, he has been able to contribute to both defence and attack and with the Swiss providing cover, Ramsey has thrived with the new found freedom.
Ramsey, who recently scored in Wales’ last World Cup qualifying match against Serbia, will no doubt be looking to get his form back and track and help the Gunners secure Champions League qualification as quickly possible and put up a strong title challenge on all fronts.
With the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez edging closer to an exit in the coming months, Ramsey will likely find himself thrust into a more prominent role in the field and the dressing room. Arsenal will need leaders now more than ever and with the World Cup merely a year away, Ramsey will look to find, maintain and carry on the best possible form through next season to Russia in 2018.
