Aaron Ramsey insists he cannot wait for his chance to play a part in Arsenal's
exciting future.
The 17-year-old Welsh midfielder was one of the hottest properties in the
British transfer market this summer, and opted to join the Gunners from Cardiff
ahead of Manchester United and Everton.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has always put his faith in youth, although that
was not enough last season as the young Gunners came up just short in the race
for the Barclays Premier League title and in Europe.
The French coach - who has nurtured so many talented youngsters and personally
met with Ramsey when Arsenal flew him out to Switzerland - was able to convince
the young midfielder his future would be best served at Emirates Stadium.
Those honest discussions were enough to convince Ramsey - who impressed as a
substitute during the FA Cup final defeat against Portsmouth at Wembley last
month - to opt for north London rather than wait in line at Old Trafford, in a
deal that would have seen him loaned back out to the Coca-Cola Championship club
next season.
However, the teenager knows he cannot rest on his laurels if he is to cement a
place in Wenger's first team alongside the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Theo
Walcott.
'Arsenal is a club which always gives young players an opportunity at the
highest level of the game and I am going to work my hardest to be part of future
successes here,' said Ramsey, whose £5million move was formally completed
yesterday afternoon.
'I recently met with Arsene Wenger and he was a big factor in my decision to
join Arsenal.
'He talked to me for a long time about the club and the plans for the future,
which really excites me.'
The capture of Ramsey is something of a coup for Wenger, snatching the
promising youngster from under the nose of United rival Sir Alex Ferguson, whose
side won the Champions League last season to add to the league title.
The Arsenal manager said: 'He is still only 17, but has already shown that he
is a very intelligent and mature player with great quality.'
Wenger is keen to add more players to his squad before they depart for a
pre-season training camp in Austria at the end of July.
However, Bayern Munich and Barcelona continue to be linked with a move for
winger Alexander Hleb.
Wenger is expected to tie up a £13million deal for long-time target Samir
Nasri, the Marseille midfielder, after Euro 2008 while Ivory Coast international
Gervinho claims Arsenal have made inquiries to Le Mans about his availability.
Reports in Italy continue to link Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor with a move to
AC Milan, although Wenger - at the European Championships as a media pundit -
last week gave any notion of letting last season's leading scorer leave short
shrift.
However, although the Gunners may have no intention of selling, even at a
reported £30million, contact from the Serie A club is understood to have been
made.
Adebayor's representative, Stephane Courbis, said in Corriere dello Sport:
'The player is fine at Arsenal, but when Milan come in for you it's difficult
to tell them no.
'I know that Milan have contacted Arsenal and now everything depends on what
Arsenal want to do.'
