There was once a point at which Arsenal couldn’t keep hold of their best players. It started with Ashley Cole leaving to join Chelsea in 2007, with Thierry Henry, Aleksandr Hleb, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy, Alex Song and Robin Van Persie also departing over the coming years.
That stream was stemmed for a while, with the Gunners doing a better job of tethering their best players to long-term contracts. Some might argue that Arsenal’s players over this time became less desirable, making them easier to keep, but nonetheless, the Emirates Stadium exodus was halted.
Now, however, there is talk that a key Arsenal player could leave the club. Aaron Ramsey is currently in a contract standoff with the Gunners, attracting the attention of both Chelsea and Manchester United who are keen on taking advantage of the situation to sign the Welsh midfielder.
Current reports claim that Arsenal are unwilling to be held to ransom by Ramsey and his representatives, but this increases the potential of the 27-year-old leaving the club. This would see Arsenal return to the ways of old, of a few years ago, when they couldn’t keep hold of their best players.
Given their current situation, with Unai Emery leading a revolution at the club, it’s crucially important that Arsenal convince Ramsey to stay. Some fans are unsure of the Welshman’s quality, but there are few who can boast the same sort of pedigree at the Emirates Stadium at the moment.
Ramsey gives Arsenal drive through the centre of the pitch, opening up space in the final third. He is the supply line for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Remove him from the equation and Arsenal will be worse off. They cannot afford to let him leave, especially to a rival like Chelsea or Man Utd.
Arsenal are very much a work-in-progress under Emery. They have suffered a disappointing start to the Premier League season, losing their opening two games to Manchester City and Chelsea, with Saturday’s loss at Stamford Bridge a sore one. But it’s far too early for the Gunners to panic and they must have patience in what the Spaniard is trying to do at the club.
Ramsey is surely part of Emery’s plans. Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira have been signed to play in the centre of the pitch, but they are players who will compliment Ramsey rather than replace him in the Arsenal lineup. And so it’s up to the club, to the new structure in place at the club, to sign the Welshman to a new contract, to find a compromise and tie down the midfielder for another few years. Otherwise the New Arsenal will start to look very much like the Old Arsenal.
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