Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey return no good

Juventus are reportedly considering selling Aaron Ramsey this summer. While the Welshman is missed at Arsenal, his return would not be helpful for the team.

The departure of Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer was catastrophic. With a year remaining on his contract, Arsenal turned down decent offers and allowed the Welshman to enter that final year. It only made sense for them to take such a decision if they believed they could thrash out a new contract and keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

Listen to the latest episode of the Pain In The Arsenal Podcast here!—The Rebuild 2.0

Within a month of the window closing, there were already reports that the club could not afford to offer Ramsey a new deal. A month later, those reports were confirmed. Despite wanting to stay, Ramsey would be leaving for nothing.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

The midfielder moved abroad, signing a pre-contract agreement with Juventus that would take him to Italy in the summer. He has been in and out of the team all year. He is yet to play a full 90 minutes, has made only 12 Serie A appearances, of which five are as a substitute, and has scored just the once. But in the nine games he has started in all competitions, seven in Serie A and two in the Champions League, Juventus are yet to lose.

And yet, according to Calciomercato in Italy, the Old Lady are considering departing from the lung-busting midfielder just a year after he arrived. Maurizio Sarri has not completely fallen in love with Ramsey like previous managers and Ramsey has struggled to forge a significant role for himself within the squad. And obviously, given his connections with north London, any mention of a possible exit motivates the fans to call for his return.

But while Ramsey, a dynamic, bursting, driving central midfielder who can link up attacking play and score goals, is the right type of player that Mikel Arteta needs, in essence as a Mesut Ozil replacement, he should not return to the Emirates.

Ramsey was a great Arsenal player and he has been gravely missed this season, the Gunners’ central midfield lacking that dynamism and energy that he so brilliantly provides. But he is now 29 years of age, is horribly injury-prone, including suffering adductor problems this season, and would not come cheap — Juventus might want to sell, but his contract does not expire until 2023 and they would like a hefty profit on their investment of a year’s wages.

Quite simply, at this stage of the Arteta project, Arsenal should not be purchasing injury-prone 29-year-olds. As the club has shown an increasing desire to do, they need to get younger, investing in the future. Those players that are ready to win here and now are not the type that the team needs, and that is who Ramsey is.

So yes, the idea of reuniting the Welshman with the Emirates turf is a comforting one. And yes, he has been sorely missed this season. But, like it or not, his return is no good for Arsenal.