Arsenal news: 'Ramsey may play with one of the greatest players ever but I'm disappointed with Juventus move', says Pires

What's the story?

Arsenal legend Robert Pires has expressed his disappointment over Aaron Ramsey's impending move to Juventus, stating that while he will have the opportunity to play with "one of the greatest players ever" Cristiano Ronaldo, his absence in the Gunners squad would be sorely missed.

In case you didn't know...

Ramsey is all set for his new challenge with Juventus at the end of the season, putting an end to his eleven-year association with Arsenal.

The midfielder, who is out of contract this summer, is allowed to leave the Emirates on a free transfer following the club's refusal to offer him a contract extension. The Welshman had hoped to play a big role in Arsenal's Europa League journey, but his season met with an abrupt end as he suffered a hamstring injury against Napoli last month.

The heart of the matter

Expressing his disappointment at the move, Pires told Sky Sports, "I am disappointed. I know Aaron, he's a great player. He's doing very well, he's scored a lot of goals. He is very important in the squad, especially in the dressing room."

"But unfortunately this is football, so we need to respect Aaron's decision. For him, it's a new challenge, a new life."

"I'm very happy for Aaron, he deserves this great opportunity. Serie A is a good league and Juve is one of the best teams in Europe. He will play with one of the greatest players, Cristiano Ronaldo. I'm disappointed but this is life."

What's next?

Arsenal bested Valencia 3-1 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final fixture on Thursday night and will hope to replicate a similar result when they travel to Spain for the second leg of the fixture.

The Gunners are next scheduled to face Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.