Arsene Wenger: £50m not enough to tempt me to sell Aaron Ramsey

Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that his in-form midfielder Aaron Ramsey will get even better after his ‘phenomenal’ performance against Cardiff City.

The 22-year-old scored twice against his former side to stretch Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to seven points as the Gunners won 3-0.

“He was phenomenal,” said Arsenal boss Wenger told BBC Sport. “He keeps surprising me. He has matured as a player and as a person.

“He can still develop. When you see the improvement in him in the last two years then why should he stop now?”

The Welshman joined Arsenal from Cardiff in 2008 and returned on loan to recover from a broken leg in February 2010.

This was his first league meeting with his boyhood club and he received a welcome response from the home crowd on his return.

His subdued celebration after scoring the opener was greeted by applause from the home crowd and some fans even sung his name after Ramsey scored his second.

“It’s a special pressure when you come back to your home town,” added Wenger. “He couldn’t deal with that a few years ago.

“We came here in the FA Cup and he had a very difficult game, but now he shows how much he has developed as a person.

“The reaction of the fans was fantastic. We don’t see that a lot and I would like to say to the crowd I really appreciate it.”

Ramsey has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season and Wenger was asked if the Welshman could be prised from the club by an offer of £50m.

“No,” the Frenchman replied. “We don’t want to sell anybody, we want to keep the team together. I’ve suffered enough for years for having to sell the players. Now we are in a stronger position financially.

“I was a midfielder and would have loved to have what he has. He can defend, attack and score goals. What more do you want? He is also young – another quality that I have lost.

“There’s more to come. If he continues to play like that then he will have a good future with Wales.”

No players have scored more goals than Ramsey (8) at Arsenal this season and only Mesut Ozil (29) has created more chances than the Welshman (18).