Arsenal: The problem with selling Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal may be forced into selling Aaron Ramsey if he does not sign a new contract. There is one key problem in selling the Welshman: Who’s the replacement?

Arsenal are in a sticky situation. It always amazes me that they get themselves into this sticky situation every year. Yes, I am of course talking about the contract crisis that never seems to go away, this time with Aaron Ramsey.

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After both the Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez ended in desperation — the Gunners were fortunate to get a player of Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s quality for Sanchez and they had to pay through the nose to just keep Ozil in-house knowing that losing him was simply not an option — it seems as though the club has not learned. Here we go, again, then.

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With Ramsey, there is a slight difference. He isn’t quite the same level of player as Ozil or Sanchez. While he was named Player of the Season last year, that was more as a result of the absence of a contender, rather than his own brilliance — he had a very good season, but it wasn’t a stop-and-take-notice campaign. And nor does he carry the same profile as Ozil or Sanchez. There was more interest in either of the double-headed dilemma last summer than there has been in Ramsey this summer.

But while that does pose a slightly different context to the problem, there is still the same issue of selling: a replacement. The reason why Arsenal did not accept Manchester City’s £60 million bid for Sanchez on deadline day last summer was not because they thought he was worth more. They actually did accept it. It was because they were afraid that they would not be able to secure a replacement. The reason why they accepted Manchester United’s deal six months later, in part, was because it offered a replacement off the bat in Mkhitaryan.

The same situation is unfolding with Ramsey. As James McNicholas states for ESPN, the time has come for Unai Emery and the club to make Ramsey decide. Time is running out and the August 9th deadline is looming. Because if Ramsey rejects the new deal on offer, then Arsenal will need to jump into action, and quickly at that.

We all saw the problems of not selling a player with not long to run on his contract who wants to leave last year. It did not end too well. Therefore, if Ramsey does want to leave and is unwilling to sign a new contract or his demands are unrealistic for the club to afford or pose further ramifications in agreeing to, then I do think that Arsenal must sell him. But that sentiment does not come without caution.

In selling Ramsey, Emery, Sven Mislintat and Ivan Gazidis must be sure that they have a replacement in place. I do not think that that player exists in the current squad. Given how Emery has been talking about Ramsey, I am not sure he does either. And so, the successor must be an external one. With three weeks and counting remaining, finding a viable successor will not be easy.

Next: Arsenal: 3 reasons why Aaron Ramsey must be Unai Emery's linchpin

Selling Ramsey may end up being the best thing to do. But it comes with an awkward issue that must also be solved, and I worry that, if it comes to it, Arsenal aren’t ready to solve it.