3 players Arsenal should target to replace Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal's long-serving midfielder Aaron Ramsey has an existing contract deal which is set to expire next summer, meaning there's a good possibility the north London side would want to cash in on him during the January transfer window, rather than risk losing him on a free.

It's up to the Gunners, whether they offer him a new and improved deal or not in the coming months - after Ramsey himself revealed that their initial offer had been rescinded, so talks had stalled.

The Wales international netted a sublime goal during their 5-1 win over Fulham, reminding supporters and equally critics of the talent at his disposal. The demand for a high weekly wage packet is something that Arsenal are unprepared to commit to under the Unai Emery regime, meaning it's likely he does leave in the not-too-distant future. With that in mind, here's a look at three potential midfield replacements for Ramsey that the club could target:

---

#3 Piotr Zielinski (Napoli)

Maurizio Sarri brought the best out of Piotr, giving him freedom to roam around in the midfield trio

Poland international Piotr was previously heavily linked with a lucrative switch to Liverpool, prior to their move for AS Monaco's Fabinho instead.

Zielinski is great with the ball at his feet and has an excellent passing range too. An important component of Carlo Ancelotti's revolution in Naples, Maurizio Sarri brought the best out of him by allowing him the freedom to roam around as part of a midfield trio - there's no reason why he cannot learn more under Emery and benefit the Gunners, in both defensive and attacking situations.

Unai's attention to detail and Zielinski's tireless work in midfield mean that the two could prove a perfect match in the Premier League, as shown by just how quickly former teammate Jorginho has settled in England with rivals Chelsea.

#2 Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid)

Simeone has worked hard on developing Saul's game and the improvements are there for everyone to see

Saul Niguez has enjoyed an excellent start to the La Liga campaign, just like during the previous two seasons. His rise to the top has been terrific and naturally, many European powerhouses have been monitoring his progression closely.

His vision, work-rate and passing ability would prove to be an asset for any club - Diego Simeone has worked very hard to develop Niguez's game and the improvements are there for everyone to marvel.

Saul can perfectly fit into the Ramsey role and with age on his side being just 23-years-old, he can continue improving further and adjust to the Premier League's relentless intensity levels too. Being a technically gifted player, he can create chances but equally defend like a workhorse when out of possession, so his versatility would prove useful for Emery's midfield options in future.

#1 Adrien Rabiot (PSG)

Rabiot, here against Liverpool, is in the same contract situation as Ramsey

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot is a talented player, one who has been on Arsenal's radar for a few seasons now - dating back to when Arsene Wenger was a fan of his compatriot previously. He signed Granit Xhaka two seasons ago instead, knowing full well that PSG were unprepared to sell their talented asset, but the Ligue 1 champions find themselves in a precarious situation too as his existing deal expires next summer just like Ramsey.

The signings of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi have done significant work in helping to shore up the defensive side of their midfield, though Rabiot has always harboured ambitions to play further forward - rather than as a defensive-minded midfielder.

He has played there regularly in recent seasons, which might see him edge over Saul and Zielinski in Emery's eyes for potential midfield targets, though all three can settle seamlessly into Emery's playing style where the ball is distributed quickly from the back.

In addition, he played very well under the Spaniard in Paris. The fact the pair are familiar could also have an impact, not least having made 89 appearances (all comps), scoring nine goals and creating twelve more - the best tally under any manager in his professional career.