Arsenal Transfer News: Aaron Ramsey 'Holds the Power' in Contract Talks

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is said to hold the greater share of power in negotiations with the club after the Gunners pulled out of talks despite their star being in the last year of his deal.

The Guardian's Dominic Fifield appeared on Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement (h/t Daily Star's Mark Taylor) and said Ramsey can command a bigger wage if he leaves for free next summer. When asked if he was in a commanding position, Fifield replied:

“Yes he is, because if he resists being sold in January then he'll command a higher wage at his next club. That's the reality of it.

“I guess he might find his opportunities at Arsenal to play in the second half of the season, if he's still there, more limited than he would like, but he's still a player whose pedigree and quality is very obvious.

“He is a consistent performer in a team where people like Mesut Ozil aren't consistent, so whoever brings him in knows what they are getting from him."

He added that “like any player that's run down his contract," it's Ramsey who will be able to dictate the flow of future discussions despite Arsenal withdrawing from talks (as reported by BBC Sport's David Ornstein).

BBC 5 Live Sport hosts Kirsty Gallacher and Chris Sutton heard from a caller who framed the Ramsey dilemma in financial terms. He asked whether the club would be able to find a fitting replacement in January for the kind of money they would save by letting him go midway through the season:

The Wales international had an agreement over a new four-year deal before the club pulled out, per Ornstein, leaving the 27-year-old free to discuss transfers with potential suitors as of January.

Ramsey can sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside the Premier League from January 1, and La Liga sportswriter Guillem Balague (h/t Daily Star's Mark Taylor) encouraged the playmaker to try his hand in Spain:

“I would like Aaron Ramsey to come to La Liga.

“Right now there is interest from Serie A for him.

“La Liga haven’t got the kind of money that he would demand and I do feel that the big guns in Serie A are actually making an effort for players like him.”

Balague mentioned a "big cut" in wages would be required if he were to move to Spain in particular, which may be unrealistic given the Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson wrote Ramsey could demand a £200,000-per-week salary.

The Daily Mail's Matt Barlow joked of familiar scenes during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Watford on Sunday:

The Evening Standard's James Benge suggested Ramsey didn't have the best of performances to boost his standing at the club amid talk of an exit despite Arsenal's win over the Hornets:

There's little doubt Ramsey is an elite level midfielder in the Premier League at his best, and the club would do well to find an adequate successor in January when top-level assets at good value are harder to come by.

That being said, manager Unai Emery may not campaign as hard to keep the player as Arsene Wenger once did, meaning we could see the end of his 11-year stay at the club.