Arsenal emerge as favourites for prized Ramsey signing
Arsène Wenger's record in developing young talent may prove the decisive factor.
Almost every football-mad teenager in Britain would love the chance to choose between three of the Premier League's leading clubs but for Aaron Ramsey, who has been in that privileged position since Saturday night, picking one from Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton must also have felt like an ordeal. While getting on to a private jet to see Arsène Wenger is the stuff of dreams, making such a crucial decision at the age of 17 is more likely to induce sleepless nights.
At least a remedy was close at hand last night as the Cardiff City midfielder appeared to be on the verge of finalising his future, with Arsenal emerging as the favourites to secure his signing ahead of Everton and then Manchester United. Both United and Everton were expected to make one final attempt to turn Ramsey's head, however, something that the Welshman will no doubt have anticipated following the gruelling but exhilarating events of the past nine days.
Ever since Ramsey returned to Cardiff airport at the beginning of the month, following Wales's friendly with Holland in Rotterdam, almost every mobile phone call and text message he has received has concerned where he will play next season. Those close to Ramsey claim he has a wonderful temperament and is not fazed by anything on the pitch, though it is difficult to believe he has felt comfortable being the subject of such intense speculation.
The frenzy surrounding Ramsey went into overdrive last Tuesday when Manchester United, to the surprise of just about everyone other than Manchester United, issued a statement on their website claiming that the Premier League champions were "delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical".
Cardiff subsequently pointed out they had received three bids for Ramsey and that he had been given permission to speak to two of the clubs. Two would soon become three when Everton followed Arsenal's £5m offer, leaving United looking as though they had jumped the gun, although perhaps not without intention. By placing their interest in the public domain, and making it look as though the deal was sealed, United had cranked up the pressure on Ramsey's shoulders.
To make things more difficult, Cardiff made it clear they would rather Ramsey joined United than Arsenal or Everton because the Championship club had been promised the player would return to Ninian Park on a season-long loan. Ramsey, his parents, and his advisers were keen to look at the broader picture, however, and 24 hours later those three parties were in David Moyes's company and considering the advantages of joining a club where there would be first-team opportunities.
While the latter will always be of primary concern to a young player eager to establish himself, parents are also likely to be swayed by knowing that their son will have no problems off the field. Meeting the manager face-to-face is thought to be crucial to that process and United may well come to regret that Sir Alex Ferguson was on holiday when Ramsey visited the club's Carrington training facilities on Friday, 24 hours after his meeting with Moyes.
Wenger was also out of the country, but, at Arsenal's expense, the Ramsey family were flown to Switzerland on a private jet on Saturday morning to meet the Frenchman for lunch. It was familiar territory for Wenger, with the Arsenal manager having persuaded Cesc Fábregas and Theo Walcott among others that their development as a player would be safest in his hands. He was also able to give Ramsey assurances he would not go out on loan.
With personal terms at all three interested clubs never going to be an issue - Ramsey need not worry about working again once he has signed his first contract as a Premier League player - the teenager could contemplate the best decision for his career as he flew back to south Wales on Saturday night. It has been a testing period for Ramsey, although those pupils he sat alongside when taking his GCSEs last year would gladly swap places.
