Arsenal have had an absolute contract mess on their hands in the last year and it doesn’t look like it will get any better soon.
Alexis Sanchez pouted until he was sold with six months left on his contract. Mesut Özil renewed his after about two years of speculation, and Jack Wilshere is currently in the news over speculation about his contract.
But one that has become lost in the shuffle is Aaron Ramsey’s contract.
The Welshman will have one season remaining on his contract this summer. Arsenal face a decision: to sell, or not to sell?
Ramsey is currently on £100,000 per week. A substantial sum, but he will no doubt be asking for salary of double that to bring him closer to other top-level stars like Özil.
Here is why he is worth that, and probably should also be given the vacant captain’s armband as well.
3Success with Wales
Whenever a player achieves success at both the club level AND international level, their value increases more than if they had succeeded at one or the other.
Ramsey led his country on a surprise run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, their first appearance in the European Championships.
He also nearly led them to their second World Cup appearance, narrowly missing out on a playoff position by two points.
International success always drives up a player’s value.
It raises their profile and marketing impact. But, more importantly, it proves that their success is not just because of the players around them at club level.
If they can play well and win with a completely different system and set of teammates, it proves that the player himself is great.
Ramsey’s success with Wales shows that he will be able to succeed under whatever manager Arsenal appoint this summer. They should do everything to extend his contract to make him available for the next manager to select.
All this is to say that Ramsey is worth whatever he is asking for.
Pay the man. Give him the armband too.
Hopefully, he is just waiting to see who the next manager is to sign his contract.
If he goes, Arsenal will surely miss him.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com