Aaron Ramsey Will Reportedly Leave Arsenal When Contract Expires Next Summer

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is reportedly set to leave the club at the end of the season, as there appears to be little chance he signs a contract extension at the Emirates Stadium.

Ramsey's terms are set to expire at the conclusion of the 2018-19 campaign, and according to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, this season is likely to be the midfielder's last as an Arsenal player.

"Midfielder Ramsey had been ready to stay and commit himself to a new contract, with the club confident of reaching agreement with the past few weeks," Cross said. "But there has been a sudden change, and talks have completely broken down—to the point that there is now nothing for the 27-year-old Wales international to sign."

Cross added that Ramsey was subject to a £50 million offer in the summer, which was rejected by Arsenal in the hope he would agree a new deal.

Chelsea and Manchester United are said to be fans of the Wales international, while Serie A side Juventus have joined domestic rivals Lazio in showing an interest in the midfielder.

The situation is disappointing for Arsenal, as it's the second campaign in a row in which a key player has entered with less than a year left on his deal. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil were in a similar situation last year, with the former moving to join Manchester United in the January transfer window.

Ramsey's departure would be even more of a surprise, as he has spent the past decade at Arsenal following a move from Cardiff City. During that time, he's become a key man, scoring the winning goal in two of the three FA Cup triumphs the Gunners have enjoyed during his spell at the club.

This season, he's been inconsistent under new manager Unai Emery. Even so, The Times highlighted that Ramsey has still offered a creative presence:

Although he may not have the technical ability of some of the league's best players, Ramsey has shown himself to be intelligent during his time at the Emirates Stadium.

From his central berth, he makes smart runs forward and picks up pockets of space in dangerous areas. In those positions, he possesses the composure to make smart decisions, whether that be a productive pass or a finish past a goalkeeper.

Players in that mould are tough to find. As such, losing Ramsey would be galling—and doubly so when you consider he may well join another club for free.

Layth Yousif of MailOnline noted how popular the player is at the Emirates Stadium:

It will be interesting to see whether that is still the case in the months to come. Regardless, if the Gunners are going to have a productive campaign, you suspect Ramsey will be an influential figure.

The clubs said to be interested in Ramsey reflect just how dangerous a player he is. For Arsenal supporters, seeing him don a United or Chelsea shirt after leaving the Gunners for nothing would be especially tough to take.