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Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey has opened up on his Arsenal exit in the summer transfer window, saying the Gunners eventually explained why they took a proposed contract extension off the table. The Welshman also discussed his move to Turin and what it was like meeting Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ramsey sat down with BBC Sport’s Simon Stone for a lengthy interview. When asked if Arsenal explained why they took away a contract extension, he said:
“Yes. It was in the end. There was a lot of confusion and a lot of things were up in the air. The decision was made and that was the situation, so I had to look at other options. Arsenal are going through a transitional period at the moment. They have many great players and a lot of talent coming through. They are definitely going in the right direction―but my situation now is at Juventus.”
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Ramsey joined Juventus as a free agent in the summer. When he arrived in Turin, Ronaldo helped to make him feel at home:
“He was just like everybody else, really welcoming. Of course, he is one of the greatest to play the game, but he is just a normal man. He breaks the ice straight away and makes you feel like you are talking to anybody else. There is a family feeling about the whole club. Everybody is in it to achieve one thing: to win football matches and trophies. Everybody is driven and very focused on what they need to be doing.”
He also spoke about his Italian experience and working under Maurizio Sarri:
“It has been great so far. There have been new ideas and new information which we are working hard to try to put into practice. At times it hasn’t worked as well as we would have liked, but in other parts it really has. We are slowly getting better in terms of what he wants to implement and understanding our roles and responsibilities more.”
The 28-year-old made his Juventus debut on September 21 in a win over Hellas Verona, and he immediately found himself on the scoresheet:
Expectations were high for the former Arsenal man, and so far, he has more than lived up to them.
This fan has been impressed:
Juvefc.com @juvefcdotcom
Aaron Ramsey appreciation tweet. In just a handful of games he’s showed what we’ve lacked for the best part of 4 years. He adds something completely different, thinks 2 steps ahead, and has shown his commitment by the ease with which he’s integrated. Signed for free. Incredible. https://t.co/nGAeiHP1CQ
Ramsey joined Arsenal in 2008 and established himself as a fan favourite in the years that followed. The playmaker made 371 appearances for the Gunners, winning the club’s Player of the Season award twice.
His second win came after the 2017-18 campaign, and at that time, a free-agent exit just a year later seemed unlikely.
Tifo Football explained how Arsenal’s high wage bill stood in the way of a new deal for Ramsey, however, even though they believed letting him walk was a mistake:
The Gunners do have a homegrown replacement in Joe Willock, who has impressed early in the 2019-20 season. The 20-year-old put together a fantastic performance during Thursday’s 4-0 win over Standard Liege in the UEFA Europa League.
Arsenal’s loss is Juventus’ gain, handing the Bianconeri another creative option in midfield on a free transfer. While Ramsey didn’t have much of a pre-season due to injury and has been slowly integrated into the team as a result, the early returns have been promising.
He’s likely to be in the starting XI on Sunday when Juventus face rivals Inter Milan in a crucial clash between Serie A title favourites.
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