Report: Chelsea Considers Deadline Day Swoop for Aaron Ramsey
Chelsea is prepared to make a £30m 'deadline day' move for Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey, as the Welshman's contract saga at the Emirates Stadium continues.
The midfielder is now into the final year of his contract with the Gunners, and is yet to agree new terms.
New manager Unai Emery has publicly stated that he wants the 27-year-old to stay and has even dangled the possibility of the club captaincy to Arsenal's longest serving player in an effort to convince him. However, Ramsey has left the offers on the table so far as he weighs his future.
"We'll see what happens, but my agent and the club are talking," Ramsey said recently. "I'm not sure exactly what it hinges on, I'm just leaving it to them to discuss and to figure it out but we are yet to come to an agreement."
The Daily Mail reports that if Arsenal is unable to agree new terms for Ramsey before deadline day, Chelsea is prepared to move in and make an offer.
The report claims the asking price will be about £30m ($40m) for Ramsey, who could move for free in the summer of 2019 if no new deal is signed.
Although the move would stop the three-time FA Cup winner from leaving for nothing in a year's time, signing for Chelsea would be a huge blow to the Arsenal fan base, who have also watched the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Robin Van Persie leave for Premier League rivals in recent years.
Chelsea is still believed to be in the market for another midfield player this summer, despite the capture of Jorginho from new manager Maurizio Sarri's old club Napoli.
Creative Russian star Alexsandr Golovin was widely expected to move to Stamford Bridge, but sealed a €30m switch to AS Monaco earlier in the week, while Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has also been linked.
