Aaron Ramsey has been described as the best player to come out of Wales since the legendary Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs, but is he really ready to make the step up to the Premier League and does he really warrant the current scramble for his signature amongst some of the top flight’s big guns?
There is no doubt that the 17-year-old Cardiff City midfielder has great potential with Wales’ youth guru Brian Flynn describing him as ‘sensational’.
He added: “He has everything - temperament, attitude, ability and work-ethic - to be a top Premier League and international player for the next 15 years.”
However let’s look at the facts about Ramsey or ‘Rambo’ as his Cardiff team-mates have nicknamed him. Just 22 appearances for the Bluebirds and two goals with no Wales caps, despite his recent call-up from the Under-21s to the senior squad by head coach John Toshack.
Despite that Manchester United, Arsenal and now Everton have all dived in with £5million bids to Cardiff for Ramsey’s services this summer. United look hot favourites to take him to Old Trafford, but will this make or break the lad’s career in the game?
Toshack has already issued a stern warning to Ramsey that he will not be considered for the Wales squad unless he is playing regular first-team football. He also highlighted the likes of fellow Welsh starlets David Cotterill, Lewin Nyatanga and Chris Gunter who have all gone into Premier League clubs very young with Wigan, Derby and Tottenham respectively, and have barely featured thus hampering their international aspirations.
Manchester United have reportedly stressed that Ramsey would be immediately loaned back to Cardiff if he joined them in order to continue his development in the first team at the Championship outfit. This begs the question, what is the point in him moving on?
Goalkeeper Ben Foster is a great example of a player, who joined United as a youngster from Stoke, was then loaned out for two seasons with Watford, returned to Old Trafford and is still third in the pecking order - albeit a serious knee injury has played a part in his situation this past season.
However United could argue that if Ramsey stays at Cardiff and develops into the brilliant player everyone believes he will, then the price tag will increase accordingly and so will the competition for his signature.
On the whole I feel to combat these problems the top sides should start agreeing water-tight contracts with clubs in which they would get first refusal on a highly-rated young player in the future for a set fee. That would leave the player free to focus on developing his game in the lower leagues, stay in the plans of the national team coach and reduce the pressure on his young shoulders as opposed to sitting on the bench at a massive club with four players ahead of him in the pecking order.
The odds are that Ramsey will take the risk and move on this summer as the lure of being part of a big club will no doubt be too great to spurn. However let us hope the step up does not become as difficult as it has for many before him!
There is no doubt that the 17-year-old Cardiff City midfielder has great potential with Wales’ youth guru Brian Flynn describing him as ‘sensational’.
He added: “He has everything - temperament, attitude, ability and work-ethic - to be a top Premier League and international player for the next 15 years.”
However let’s look at the facts about Ramsey or ‘Rambo’ as his Cardiff team-mates have nicknamed him. Just 22 appearances for the Bluebirds and two goals with no Wales caps, despite his recent call-up from the Under-21s to the senior squad by head coach John Toshack.
Despite that Manchester United, Arsenal and now Everton have all dived in with £5million bids to Cardiff for Ramsey’s services this summer. United look hot favourites to take him to Old Trafford, but will this make or break the lad’s career in the game?
Toshack has already issued a stern warning to Ramsey that he will not be considered for the Wales squad unless he is playing regular first-team football. He also highlighted the likes of fellow Welsh starlets David Cotterill, Lewin Nyatanga and Chris Gunter who have all gone into Premier League clubs very young with Wigan, Derby and Tottenham respectively, and have barely featured thus hampering their international aspirations.
Manchester United have reportedly stressed that Ramsey would be immediately loaned back to Cardiff if he joined them in order to continue his development in the first team at the Championship outfit. This begs the question, what is the point in him moving on?
Goalkeeper Ben Foster is a great example of a player, who joined United as a youngster from Stoke, was then loaned out for two seasons with Watford, returned to Old Trafford and is still third in the pecking order - albeit a serious knee injury has played a part in his situation this past season.
However United could argue that if Ramsey stays at Cardiff and develops into the brilliant player everyone believes he will, then the price tag will increase accordingly and so will the competition for his signature.
On the whole I feel to combat these problems the top sides should start agreeing water-tight contracts with clubs in which they would get first refusal on a highly-rated young player in the future for a set fee. That would leave the player free to focus on developing his game in the lower leagues, stay in the plans of the national team coach and reduce the pressure on his young shoulders as opposed to sitting on the bench at a massive club with four players ahead of him in the pecking order.
The odds are that Ramsey will take the risk and move on this summer as the lure of being part of a big club will no doubt be too great to spurn. However let us hope the step up does not become as difficult as it has for many before him!
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