Aaron Ramsey insists he will see out his contract at Arsenal and not leave in January
Aaron Ramsey has said he has no intention of leaving Arsenal in the January transfer window despite the offer of a new contract being withdrawn.
The midfielder confirmed that he believed a new deal had been settled before Arsenal pulled out of the agreement last month.
Arsenal are ready to listen to offers in January for Ramsey, who would be able to leave as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer.
But the 27-year-old, who is the club’s longest-serving player, insists that he wants to remain for the rest of the season and achieve “something special” under head coach Unai Emery.
“Everything has been going great with the club,” said Ramsey, who can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January. “We thought we were in a position where we had agreed a deal, but that is no longer the case.
“So, I have to just carry on playing my football and do my best for Arsenal and I’ll leave the rest with the club now.
“That’s a decision that they have made. Things happen in football and you just have to get on with it and carry on playing the best I can. That is all I am concentrating on and giving my best for Arsenal.”
Asked if he would stay at Arsenal for the rest of the campaign, Ramsey said: “Of course, yeah. I am contracted to Arsenal and I am going to do my best now this season to try and achieve something special.”
The withdrawal of the offer of a new four-year contract was the result of Emery’s assessment of Ramsey and, crucially, the club’s reluctance to give the midfielder, who earns £100,000 a week, the pay rise he was seeking.
Arsenal’s wage bill is running at a record high following the signings of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January, and because of the £350,000 a week awarded to Mesut Ozil this year.
Ramsey played for Wales in their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Spain on Thursday, when they struggled without the injured Gareth Bale.
The Real Madrid forward will have 24 hours this weekend to prove his fitness for next week’s Nations League meeting with the Republic of Ireland after Ryan Giggs, the Wales manager, said it was “unlikely” that he would be available.
“That’s going to be a blow,” said Ramsey. “We know how important he is for us. He’s scored so many goals for us. It’s going to be a blow, but we are looking forward to that test and hopefully we can get back to winning ways.”
Meanwhile, Wales and Brentford defender Chris Mepham has revealed his “shock and disappointment” at the departure of manager Dean Smith to Aston Villa.
Smith left Brentford this week to take over from Steve Bruce at Villa, with John Terry installed as his assistant.
“It was a bit of a shock for me,” said Mepham, 20. “I did not hear much about what was happening in terms of our manager going to Villa. One of the lads mentioned it on Thursday and it was the first I had heard of it.
“I was disappointed to hear he has gone but the club are in a good position and I am sure we are stable enough to either bring someone else in or someone internally that can get promoted to the head coach job.
“I dropped him a text earlier to wish him congratulations on the new role. I haven’t heard back from him, I’d imagine he is a busy man at the minute, but I am sure he will do well.”
