Arsenal Boss Unai Emery Instructs Aaron Ramsey to Prioritise Football Amid Ongoing Contract Standoff

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has instructed Aaron Ramsey to narrow his focus on his football if he is to return to the starting lineup amid ongoing contract negotiations with the club.

Ramsey, 27, was relegated to the bench during the club's defeat to Chelsea last time out amid a long and a drawn out saga pertaining to a new deal at the club, with his current contract at the Emirates set to expire at the end of next season.

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The Wales international is the latest Arsenal star to have life on the field overshadowed by formalities off it, with reports claiming he is eager to secure a wage closer to that of Mesut Ozil - who agreed a new deal in January to become the best ever paid player at the club. 

After being subject to questions pertaining to Ramsey's future on the regular since taking over the helm, Emery has called on the midfielder to put forget about things away from the pitch and focus on returning to form and helping the team on it. 

“I spoke with him last week," Emery said, via the Guardian. “I said: ‘I want you focused only on training and only on the match, you show us the capacity to help the team.’ 

"The contract is another thing for his agent and the club but we want and I need his focus only on training, only on the match and on his performance each day.”

Emery hinted that Ramsey's absence at Stamford Bridge was tactical, but hinted that he could be in line to be recalled into the starting lineup when West Ham come to town on Saturday afternoon - a game which could reap their first points of the season. 

“Chelsea are different to other teams,. We have to work very specifically to prepare for them," he added.

“Saturday is also a difficult match but we are thinking more we can control the match with our personality. Against Chelsea and Manchester City we wanted to but there were more times in the 90 minutes that the opposition didn’t let us.

“We need to win this match against West Ham. I think it’s very important to show [the supporters] a better performance than in the two first matches. We are preparing well. I am feeling well when I look at the players in training.”