Its now clear there will be no new contract for Aaron Ramsey as he has finally been told by Arsenal why his contract offer was withdrawn. Ramsey had been locked in negotiations with the Gunners for months over a lucrative new contract which would keep him at the club for the remainder of his career.
But out of the blue in September, Arsenal decided to withdraw their offer – but failed to tell the player. Ramsey, 27, only discovered the development when he read about it in the media, leaving the Welsh international fuming.
He revealed his disappointment last month when he was away on international duty and said he still hadn’t been given an explanation from the club.
It led to friction behind the scenes when Ramsey reported back to train with Unai Emery’s squad as the midfielder was left frustrated at the lack of respect he felt he’d been shown. Sources claim someone from the club has now met with the player in person to explain the reasons behind their decision.
The exact details have not been revealed – but it is thought the £275,000-a-week terms the midfielder was looking for have proved too much for Arsenal to commit to.
So the Gunners have now taken the decision to let him walk away from the Emirates without a fee at the end of the season.
That leaves Ramsey in a hugely powerful position where he now holds all the aces when it comes to his future. The Gunners could try to cash in on him when the transfer window opens in January, with a number of sides already showing and interest.
But Ramsey has already indicated he wants to stay for the rest of the campaign in North London, and is in no rush to get out mid-season. He would then have the freedom to negotiate a lucrative new deal with whoever he likes, and collect a bumper signing-on fee for good measure too.