Everton, Newcastle United are reportedly leading the race to sign Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey with Juventus keen to get rid of the player’s monstrous wages.
According to CalcioMercato, Newcastle United and Everton are leading the way to sign 30-year-old Wales international Aaron Ramsey from Juventus.
Ramsey left North London for Turin in the summer of 2019, hoping for a fresh start and a more prominent role at one of Italy’s biggest clubs. But things did not turn out as planned for both parties. Fast-forward two years down the line, and the Bianconeri are already looking desperate to find a solution to get his hefty wage packet off their books to make room to bring in new faces in the winter market.
To date, the former Arsenal star has made 70 appearances for the Old lady during his two-and-a-half-year tenure, bagging 6 goals and 6 assists along the way. Ramsey has failed to make his mark in Turin, often struggling with injuries and a lack of game-time.
He had some bright patches of form under former Juventus boss Andrea Pirlo, but he has been relegated to the bench-warming role since the return of Massimiliano Allegri. Ramsey has featured in just over 100 minutes of footballing action in all competitions this campaign which speaks volumes of his peripheral role at Juventus.
There were reports earlier this month that Juventus are considering terminating his contract out of desperation, but as things stand, the talented Welsh midfielder remains on the market. And his extraordinary situation has attracted the attention of clubs from all across the continent, particularly from the Premier League.
A host of English clubs, including Everton and Newcastle United, are willing to provide the Welshman with an escape route by enabling him to return to the Premier League, where he enjoyed the prime years of his footballing career.
The report adds that Everton boasts an ‘excellent relationship’ with Juventus, making them a leading contender to land the Welshman. The Merseysiders appears to be quite thin in midfield. Abdoulaye Doucoure’s injury has dealt them a major blow, with the midfielder expected to be out for an extended period, forcing Fabian Delph and Tom Davies to step in with mixed success.
Everton can certainly make do with a player of Aaron Ramsey’s ilk. A world-class midfield operator on his day, Ramsey has impeccable technical ability and energy to thrive in Rafael Benitez’s system. He is versatile and can slot in very well in a central midfield role alongside Allan or operate in a more advanced role. He has excellent vision, passing range, and his knack for making late runs into the box would add a new dimension to Everton’s midfield.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have recently been linked with Chelsea’s Ross Barkley and Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey is understood to be another player on their radar. Midfield is one of many areas the new owners are looking to address in January. Ramsey would not only be an upgrade on their current midfield options but would vitally add a wealth of top-level experience and can initiate the process of attracting more world-class players in future.
Aside from Newcastle and Everton, Crystal Palace and West Ham are also interested, while a nostalgic return to Arsenal is also a possibility. It now remains to be seen where Ramsey eventually ends up in January.
