Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey contract more pertinent than ever

Reports are indicating that Arsenal and Aaron Ramsey are inching closer to a new deal. Which is great, because it’s never been more important.

Arsenal had two big tasks over the summer – to find a new manager and to either sign Aaron Ramsey to a new deal or to replace him with someone equally dynamic.

That person may not exist as easily as it would be to just pay the man and give him what he wants, which is why his contract situation became such a snafu. Deadlines came and went and still, Ramsey remains in the final months of his deal, with the clock ticking.

There has been wild speculation since, ranging from supposed “roadblocks” popping up along the way, to progress being made. The latest reports indicate that progress is being made, which is a dream to hear. The January transfer window is looming and with the new deadline set for that very month, the more we hear of progress, the better.

Now more than ever. Because the more we see Ramsey play, and the more we see the problem around him, the more it should be obvious just how important he is.

Arsenal’s primary strength was supposed to be their creative attacking midfielders. Namely the duo of Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Yet, in the little time we’ve had this season, those two have been the shakiest part of the team next to the large, looming “defense” problem that isn’t so easy to solve.

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Slipping Ramsey into the No. 10 instead of Ozil opened up Super Rambo all over again and he shot out to the team lead in chance creation. Not to mention the intangibles, like his ability to threaten the goal from just about anywhere in the opposition half.

Ramsey fits the Unai Emery model and, more and more, he is becoming consistent and reliable, which is something that not even I would have associated with Ramsey. Now that it’s here, though, it stands in contrast to the ever unreliable Ozil and the ever unpredictable Mkhitaryan.

There may be some relation to Ozil’s supposed exit rumors, and the wages that would be freed, and the Ramsey progress rumors. It’s easy enough for me to accept an Ozil for Ramsey swap, though I realize some people may not be as pleased with that. At the very least, it may also open up the opportunity to purchase an actual winger so Ozil and Mkhitaryan can stop masquerading as exactly what they aren’t.

In the end, what’s important is getting the deal done. As long as that happens, not much else matters, really.