Both Danny Welbeck and Aaron Ramsey are in the final year of their contracts; neither of them has indicated a willingness to stay nor have they responded to the improved deals on offer. It is rumoured that Ramsey has said he will sign in AFC double his , already inflated, wages (this is a man who lives in the most expensive house in Wales!)
We have been here before and not so long ago. Alexis Sanchez forced his way out of Arsenal by refusing to sign a massively improved contract. Sold in January, his agent managed to persuade MU to give Sanchez a purported ￡380k a week, plus ￡71k per game appearance, plus ￡1m a season signing-on fee!! No wonder he left AFC. Brilliant business for the player but not for either club.
And then there was Ozil. Great player but worth over ￡300k a week? He and his agent hung on until AFC where forced into a corner, especially after losing Sanchez.
What did AFC and our new negotiating team learn from this? Well, it seems sweet FA.
Had they been sold in summer, Ramsey would have attracted offers above €35m, Welbeck as an established International, around €20m. Can the club afford to let them run down their contracts and leave for free next summer or swapped for an inferior player in January? €50+m would allow us to buy the new, young CB we are crying out for. It would not have been Sokratis we signed but (perhaps) a player of Varane quality, maybe even Godin (though he is a bit old).
And while we are on strange (read incomprehensible) decisions, why did they give Elneny an improved contract? Is it worth paying him a few mill a year just to get a few games in the Europa? I like Elneny wish him well but he is limited in his ability whereas Xhaka (who also got a new contract) has clear potential to become a fine player.
So what do you think? Do AFC give in to player power or get tough and sell players who do not sign contracts which are running down?
Not a simple decision.
written by Big Raddy
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Written after consuming an ill-advised mixture of Chianti and Grappa 😀
Sentiments remain the same but perhaps I could have expressed them more comprehensively
A top thought provoking post BR.
I am trying to think of a polite way to start but I am struggling.
“Had they been sold in summer”
Now, unless I am missing something and please anyone let me know if that is the case, but this statement is out of date, it is a thing of the past, football has moved on.
No football club can force the sale of a player unless he wants to agree, no strong arm tactics would have forced Ramsey to sign a new contract in the summer; he and his agent are sensibly waiting to see just how much outside interest there is in him — so far there doesn’t seem that much.
This sentiment, although, I would go further and call it a fact, applied to Sanchez and of course Ozil.
It makes me laugh to read just how much Sanchez’ agent was able to get out of United, hilarious. And all this for Jose to get himself off the ropes. Remember that the United fans were turning against him and he needed to throw them a sop to keep them quiet.
Ozil is worth two players wages, I for one had my season ticket renewal decision made easier by the fact that the club did what was necessary to keep him.
Will Ramsey stay? No one knows including the Welshman I suspect. Hope so though.
Nice one, Raddy. 🙂
New regime in place. Let us see. Historically the club has done well in choosing the right time to retain or sell on, IMO. Except of course for the transition period, which you document well.
How does Rambo fit in the new(?) scheme of things? Let us see.
FA brought a chuckle. FA indeed! 🙂
Morning all, thanks Raddy, … it’s a good question!
I know what LB is saying but I think he is not factoring other influences …. it’s not all about money.
It’s also about ambition, quality of life, enjoyment, location, the need to be playing in a top side to be considered for a national side etc.
I think other teams have handled players contracts better than Arsenal’s old regime (Dick Laws and crew) … Let’s hope the new team (Mislintat etc) are able to bring a bit more sense to our contracts negotiations.
I’d like to keep Ramsey as his energy and work rate is a massive plus. We have seen him be very effective in the ‘Frank Lampard’ mould … hopefully UE can find a way of getting him back to his best form.
Rambo lives in Wales and trains in London? wow!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5215203/Arsenals-Aaron-Ramsey-buys-Waless-expensive-house.html
That’s just Ramsey’s country pad.
Cheers, BR.
To tell the truth I don’t give a monkey’s ringpiece about players’ contract negotiations anymore.
The sums bandied about sicken me.
When is it the time for a player to say that’s enough? Another few million? Another 100 million.
I realise this adds nothing at all to the debate, so apologies.
The crux of my point was that I do not see how any club can force a player to sign an extension if he doesn’t want to or is not ready?
How……………………………………..
Hi LB, of course you are correct … I was talking about the other factors that can induce a player to want to leave or stay. There is no doubt that Liverpool is an exciting club to want to join at the moment … wouldn’t it be great if we could create a similar energy and expectation amongst our players.
Thanks BR
Certainly not a simple decision, and in Ramsey’s case I believe the problem for him and his agent is the same – “you are good enough to claim a salary close to or matching Mesut, or a new role in another big European Club”. Sorry, IMO, this is pie in the sky.
Additionally,I am, I’m afraid, still an old fashioned advocate of a little loyalty on the part of players (if the Club don’t show you honest and ” realistic” loyalty, sure tell them to GFT!). But too many current players over estimate dramatically their “worth”/ believe their own/ their agent’s publicity.
AW brought Ramsey to the Club, convincing him he would progress more significantly with us than Manure. I believe ( considerable speculation here), that he did. Stalwart and later captain, of a super Wales team, regular success, if ‘only’ Cup success, with the Arse. Would Ramsey have been a definite starter for Manure, either at the end of the Ferguson era or in the shambles since? Doubt it!
Get the contract signed, Aaron and start playing an enthusiastic part in our new chapter….or….
Sorry to disagree strongly with one other comment BR. Xhaka “potential to become a fine player”……might be waiting as long as we did for John Jensen!
great to see so many fine posts and comments.
they are coming thick fast and I’ve had plenty to read each day.
my favorite comment yesterday from GIE, …problem is Ozil and Mikhi are ilunlikely tonpress begins him,
It made me re-read it many times as I like cryptic puzzles.
I also liked the puddles…
I had to explain to someone today what the word crux meant so was pleased to see LB use it today.
as for Ramsey’s expensive welsh house article… The home has its own a helicopter pad which leaves the footballer an hour from Arsenal’s training ground in Hertfordshire
and the article goes into quite a bit of detail abouts it facilities and price etc and then finishes with –
Ramsey scores a goal & Well-known figure dies
20/10/2008 v Fenerbache
21/10/2008 Actor David Lloyd Meredith
22/08/2009 v Portsmouth
25/08/2009 Ted Kennedy
01/05/2011 v Manchester United
02/05/2011 Osama Bin Laden
02/10/2011 v Tottenham Hotspur
05/10/2011 Steve Jobs
19/10/2011 v Marseille
20/10/2011 Colonel Gaddafi
30/11/2013 v Cardiff x2
30/11/2013 Paul Walker
10/08/2014 v Manchester City
11/08/2014 Robin Williams
09/01/2016 v Sunderland
10/01/2016 David Bowie
13/01/2016 v Liverpool
14/01/2016 Alan Rickman
05/03/2016 v Tottenham Hotspur
06/03/2016 Nancy Reagan
Personally, I’m ok with Rambo leaving. We are developing some serious depth to the side and we would take it in our stride. As for the steel that we need defensively, we are still at copper
Puddles was funny.
Allardyce hits back at GN. “He thinks he’s an expert”!
What’s certain Sam is no-one is more ‘expert’ than you at boring everyone at football matches to death!
I dislike it when a player seems to be holding the club out for ransom.
IF he wants to sign then let hm do so.
If not, get rid of him.
COntract disputes like this result in a drop in playing standards of the player in dispute. Remember how kanu’s career at Arsenal, if not everywhere was destroyed as a result of the dispute he had with the club about a new contract.
Would it benefits the club to bench a player who doesn’t want to sign
Basically treat him like and outcast ,I have seen this done at other clubs before
LBG. GFT. Finally got it 😀 😀
LBG 🙂
he has nice legs
I like Ramsey, always have runs and runs until he physically can’t has an eye for goal, and a pass, and can tackle.
Unlike you Raddy I’m not so convinced in Xhaka due to lack of mobility, I’d rather keep Elneny.
Much like Monreal I’ve always liked Elneny’s willingness to do what is required of him. I used to think Ramsey fell into this category, and i do hope this new role is not to try and get him to sign a deal. Emery has a pass, he can lose players that don’t fit his game type. Ramsey’s skillset lends itself to the box to box role.
RC intimated yesterday that Emery favours attacking full backs and press, but in the PL we need to play at pace with the ball.
My line up would be 4-1-3-2
Back 4 picks itself presently.
My deep midfielder would be Torreira, the three (which would be narrow, Guendouzi, Ramsey and one other.
Front 2 would be Ozil and PEA (some dreams of God and Henry)
The full backs can join in press if already up pitch rather than turning tail and retreating, safe in knowledge there are at least a couple of mobile central midfielders who can fill in for them much as Kante does.
We are still watching a work in progress but we need to see it Saturday.
Just watched the press conference and not going going to be playing 2 up top
Well clearly Fred, I suppose my 2 is really 1-1 with Ozil with freedom and Ramsey to fill in gaps.
In my opinion we are lacking a fulcrum at back and at top. Ozil can do the job up top.
Problem is it needs players of intelligence around him. If he drifts right the full back should go inside, or in DB10 days it would have been Overmars, Pires or Ljungberg, who understood where the space had been opened by God and TH14s movement.
I must admit that I am consistently amazed by how little natural thinking is seen on the pitch in the modern game. Don’t get me wrong to be a PL footballer you have to put in a lot of years graft but I wonder whether we are so conscious of combining strength and pace with ball skills that we are raising players (as a sport) who are not necessarily learned in the art of positioning, it hasn’t become second nature they have to be told where to run in every given situation, and that’s nigh on impossible.
Mr Exile, how are you son?
GIE agree seems not thinking is done when they play
Busy!!!!! Bloody school holidays and work!
Had a week in Cornwall which briefly made everything alright with the world before returning to the chaos.
Not sure if we are welcome back given this https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-45147541 but can honestly say we had Gunwalloe beach to ourselves and Rinsey Cove wasn’t crazy. It’s felt busier in North Norfolk than it did there. Although we didn’t visit Poldark famed beaches of Porthcurno and Kynance.
Other than that work work and more work although been retraining my clients to pay more for less visits….worked quite well 🙂
good 🙂
time for an Exile girl now, no?
Glad you find a mo to chat here, always love your views.
Wilshere’s contract was up so he had to make a pretty quick decision based on 1 or 2 conversations with Emery as to wether to stay or go. Ramsey however has the luxury of the remaining 12 months of his contract before making a similar decision. I expect this to drag on as he will want to assess the next 12 months and see if he can see a future under Emery. I don’t think Emery will play him for the sake of a contract remewal, but I do think Ramsey will get plenty of opportunity to impress and hopefully he enjoys the game plan that Emery has set out. Maybe the next 12 months, along with a pay rise, will be enough to convince Aaron he should stay.
Football changes so quickly now that you can’t blame the players for utilising the full length of their contracts before making a decision. There’s always an element of power of course, with players getting more money if they run down deals, but I think there is far more to it than just that.
A player could sign a new deal in January, be playing flowing football every week, and everything is good, only for the manager to get sacked in July, the new manager to change to a defensive style, buy a star player in the same position, and suddenly the player is warming the bench every week wishing he’d left on a free when he had the chance.
Superb comments Slim
True FGG but let’s be honest most clubs and players know that if a player wants out he can get our contract or not as someone will be tempted especially if good enough.
Look at WHL players are signing contracts on not massive improved deals, every year Gazidis is getting the player to sign a new deal with slightly better wages and the players are signing mainly. Too far away from renewal to play silly games and too hungry or cash that saying no to an extra £10k a week is hard. So they sign and keeps going. Agents and player know that their current deal can be cheaply bought if the need arises, and with stadium issues maybe making Pochettino reconsider his future could all be about to go south in Spudland.
So getting players to sign is not impossible but getting them to sign with a year left becomes very tricky.
For me I’d like Aaron to put pen to paper as it’s one less thing to worry about, and if he doesn’t then Emery should drop him. Because we know from last season what removing a key player from the starting line up can do. Especially one who has been an integral part of the game plan. Also on the bench he can’t add to his value.
I want Emery to rebuild not tinker and if that means shipping out “stars” then I’ll be happy to see it happen. I’d rather him put this transitional year to good use rather than waste it with players that ultimately are not part of hislong term plans. I’m afraid we have to look at both Liverpool and I hate to say it Spuds for a way to do it.
Ramsey is being mishandled. He has to start when he is fit. He also has to play in a more advanced position like he does for Wales.
As for his contract, I think he will sign OR go come to PSG 🙂
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