Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey contract doesn’t have to be all about money

Arsenal look to be struggling to figure out a way to get Aaron Ramsey a new contract, but does the deal have to be completely centered on money?

It seems like a stupid question – does a contract have to be all about money? But in Arsenal’s situation, where money seems to be the root of all problems (ah, philosophies of life), it may not be the stupidest question we can ask.

With Jack Wilshere still hanging out in contract limbo, the status of Aaron Ramsey is now up in the air as well. His contract will be up in the summer of 2019 and the Gunners are naturally quite intent on tying him down.

However, with the new signings of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as the reported £350,000 deal for Mesut Ozil, not to mention any potential summer signings that will require additional wages, barring more exits, reports indicate that the club may be stuck with Ramsey.

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They did offload two heavy earners in Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez, plus the other exits, but that is probably more than made up for with the three names listed above.

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That doesn’t mean the club can’t get creative though. For as much as it is causing a hang up with Wilshere, the idea of an incentive-based contract is a brilliant idea. And for someone who loves the club, it should make total sense. The more effective they are, the more they get paid. And if they get hurt, they still get guaranteed money, obviously, but it’s practical thinking that someone who isn’t involved in the team – no matter the reason – doesn’t get as much.

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Then again, asking for practicality may be a bit of a stretch.

Still there’s no doubting what Ramsey can do when healthy, so forking out for him with some heavy incentives, makes sense, does it not?

And if you want to take it into even more creative territory, why not offer Aaron Ramsey the captaincy? For the life of me I can’t think of someone who embodies the Arsenal spirit more than the Welshman. He overcame a serious injury – and continual minor injuries – to dazzle the Emirates as one of the best deep-lying play-makers in the world of football.

The guy just radiates positive energy and would be a fantastic lead-by-example type of guy, with the upside of also being a no-nonsense guy as well.

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The benefits are there and if it carries any sort of value, why not use it? Then again, maybe I’m taking a bit of a naive approach to my contract negotiation strategy, but I have faith in the Gunner passion in Ramsey.