Arsenal return for Aaron Ramsey romantic but ridiculous

Aaron Ramsey’s big move to Juventus was tinged with regret and sadness. Arsenal failed miserably on the contractual front – even if rumours were he had no intention of accepting their offer – and he departed as a club hero in unfortunate circumstances.

There was still so much the Welshman could offer Arsenal. He was in and around the prime of his career, enjoyed a superb 2017/18, and while the following campaign wasn’t as fruitful, he offered traits not found elsewhere in the squad.

He deserved a crack of the whip elsewhere, and the move to Juventus provided just that. Playing 35 times across all competitions in his debut season he secured a Serie A crown and Supercoppa Italiana title.

With Maurizio Sarri relieved of his duties following Juve’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Lyon, Andrea Pirlo was brought in. A midfield maestro, the chance to work under such a legend, albeit one with little managerial acumen, presented an exciting proposition.

Arsenal return for Aaron Ramsey romantic but ridiculous as Juventus midfielder becomes Premier League target

It has not worked out.

Aaron Ramsey has started just 12 league matches this season as Pirlo favours natural widemen with Arthur and Adrien Rabiot as his central midfield pairing. He’s shown flashes of brilliance intertwined with inconsistency, much like his time at Arsenal.

A major summer rebuild is underway and Tuttosport state the 30-year-old is one of those set for the exit door.

The Premier League is where he’s most likely to end up, and while a return to north London would be a romantic destination, it would also be a ridiculous one.

Him in a slightly more reserved yet free role alongside Thomas Partey would allow him to drift into his favoured No. 8 slot, where his superbly timed entries into the box would add goals to an area sorely lacking in them. He adds dynamism in what can often be criticised as a flat midfield.

That is where the fun stops. He’s under contract until 2023 on a colossal deal worth a reported £400k per-week. Not one aspect of a move back to Arsenal provides logic.

Strategically it goes against everything Mikel Arteta is building. Some ties aren’t meant to be resewn. Everyone knows this, though; it is just sometimes that sentimental scenarios can’t be circumvented.

Get him to the MLS to play against Ryan Shawcross again.