5 potential replacements for Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal

He arrived as a precocious 16-year-old but now, it is almost certain that Aaron Ramsey is on his way out of Arsenal. The Welsh international had been in negotiation with the club over an extension for his contract which expires at the end of this season.

However, no agreement was reached concerning Ramsey’s wage demands (said to be 300k per week). The refusal to accede to the Welsh international’s demands is symptomatic of the new thinking at the Emirates Stadium.

Following the exit of Arsene Wenger, a root-and-branch review of the club’s management structure has seen a more pragmatic approach to dealings. Manager Unai Emery has shown that he does not trust Ramsey to effectively play the central midfield role.

Under Emery, the demands for playing in central midfield have changed. Ramsey’s goal scoring and energy were his best assets. However, it has become clear that he is not good enough to play the central midfield role in a team with title aspirations.

The world’s best central midfielders are the heartbeats of their teams; controlling tempo, dictating play, orchestrating attacks and shielding the defence. These are aspects that Ramsey has consistently failed at, hence the decision to get rid of him.

The frugal nature of the Stan Kroenke regime at Arsenal and the scouting talents of Sven Mislintat mean that the Gunners will not be seeking a big-name (money) replacement.

With this in mind, here is a look at five possible replacements for the wantaway Welshman:

#5 Ante Coric (AS Roma)

Coric's imaginative style could be a good addition for the Gunners

This is a signing that will be straight out of the Wenger playbook; youngster with potential. However, the arrival and rapid development of Matteo Guendouzi shows that Emery is willing to give youngsters a chance.

A young talent who has had extensive playing time as a first team player at Dinamo Zagreb (the club that produced the likes of Zvonimir Boban, Luka Modric, and Matteo Kovacic), Coric looks to be the latest quality midfield product.

Adept at recycling possession and carrying the ball forward, the 21-year-old has quick feet and can grow into the ball-carrying midfielder Ramsey never was. Coming in at 1.76 cm, his rather diminutive stature may be of concern to Arsenal fans given the stature of Lucas Torreira as well.

What he lacks in height, he makes up for in having a good footballing brain. His ability to pick a pass means that were he to join, Arsenal could be getting a player who could grow into an outstanding regista in the future.

He just joined the Italian side for €8m this season. He is highly rated by Roma’s sporting director Carlos Monchi so it could take a sizable fee to get him to the Premier League.

#4 Morgan Sanson (Olympique Marseille)

Sanson could be the new Nasri and more

Florian Thauvin and Dimitri Payet are the players who have garnered the attention at Les Phocéens (The Phocaeans) as Marseille is known. However, one player who has gone under the radar but has continued to improve steadily is the 24-year-old French youth international.

A creative central midfielder who also carries a goal threat, his emergence has been one of the reasons why Luis Gustavo has been deployed to play as a centre-back instead of his normal midfield position.

A very good passer of the ball, Sanson is a player who is always looking to get the ball forward as quickly as possible. This sometimes leads to sloppiness in position or conceding possession in dangerous areas. However, his abilities mean that these risky forward passes and movement often come off.

His positional awareness, strength and work rate are quite impressive as his statistics for tackles, ball recovery is very good: 2.6 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game this season.

Since he made the €9 million move from Montpellier in 2017, he has contributed 15 goals and 12 assists in 78 matches. His devil-may-care style of dribbling will remind Arsenal fans of another Marseille alumni; Samir Nasri.

He offers the promise of goals which Ramsey delivered with the additional benefits of passing and work rate. Rudi Garcia and Marseille will be loath to lose one of their best players; the Gunners will have to make an irresistible offer if they want his services.

#3 Frenkie De Jong (Ajax Amsterdam)

De Jong's regista skills could add balance to Arsenal

De Jong’s rapid rise has been the stuff that dreams are made of. The 21-year-old has in a very short time become integral for Ajax and may excel just as well for the Gunners. Operating as a regista (deep-lying playmaker), he is the Dutch side’s dictator; the controller who decides the tempo the team plays at.

A very intelligent player in the manner of Dutch greats like Clarence Seedorf, Ronald Koeman et al, he is adept at carrying the ball forward to beat the pressing of the opposition. For a youngster, his decision making is also quite good. He has shown enough awareness to know when to pass conservatively to slow down the game’s tempo or when to pass forward to start attacks/counter attacks.

Despite his rather diminutive stature; 1.80m, he is very good at dropping into the centre of the defence to make it a flat back three whenever the fullbacks push on. Combined with his excellent range of passing, this makes him a veritable asset who would add great value to Arsenal.

Given Granit Xhaka’s tendency to go walkabout as well as the fullback’s propensity to bomb forward, Emery would love a player like De Jong. He could offer the same assurances the Spanish manager had with Marco Veratti at PSG or Ever Banega at Sevilla.

A rather pricey €50million has been quoted for the youngster who is being tracked by the likes of FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur.

#2 Youri Tielemans (AS Monaco)

Tielemans could be even better than Ramsey was for Arsenal

A couple of years ago, the Belgian teenager was seen as one of the most promising young talents in world football. His rapid ascent at RSC Anderlecht where he captained the side before his move to Monaco was a joy to behold.

Tigerish in tackling, with an engine that seemed to go on forever, the youngster was a joy to watch as he orchestrated play from a central midfield position. His long and short passing, ability to find space and drive the team forward from midfield made him the toast of Europe’s top clubs.

At the tender age of 19, he had already racked up 185 appearances for Les Mauves et Blancs (Purple & White) as Anderlecht is known. He has been less effective since his €25m move to Monaco as the club’s policy of selling its bankable assets every season has led to instability.

He could offer Arsenal the same attributes as Ramsey with so much more. His ghosting into goalscoring positions may not be as good as the Welshman’s but his passing and defensive work are far better. He could be the perfect complement to the Xhaka-Torreira duo.

His defensive work means that in the big games, he could offer the off-the-ball defensive work Emery demands from his players. His passing, movement and ghosting also mean that the bonus of goals from midfield will not be lost with Ramsey’s departure.

The arrival of Thierry Henry who was the assistant manager for the Belgian national team may sway Tielemans to stay in Monaco. However, the club has shown that as long as the price is right, it’s willing to do business.

#1 Pablo Fornals (Villarreal)

Fornals could be the midfield lynchpin Arsenal has been looking for

Probably the best choice to replace Ramsey, the young Spaniard offers something similar to what the Welshman. However, it would come with the added advantage of intelligent play from midfield. This is something the Gunners have missed since Santi Carzola’s unfortunate run of injuries started.

Adept at ghosting forward to get into scoring positions a la Ramsey, Fornals already offers a level of distribution that the Welshman offers. His brilliant range of passing; long or short has seen him assist at a better rate than the man he could be replaced; 14 in 57 games for Villarreal compared to 60 in 341 games for Arsenal (Ramsey).

Capable of sitting back, his ability to press, dribbling to move the ball out of tight positions and intelligent use of the ball could see him offer better midfield services than Ramsey ever did.

He is one of the new breeds of “chaotic” Spanish midfielders. These are players who combine the traditional Spanish midfield strengths of passing, intelligence, and technique with a propensity for doing the unusual (see his majestic goal against Athletic Bilbao earlier this season).

He was bought for €12m for Malaga but may not cost the Gunners more than €35m were they to move for him.