Rambo’s ‘not there yet’
AARON’S STAYING COOL AS HE STALLS ON SIGNING NEW DEAL
AARON RAMSEY sought the shade of a sight screen at Singapore Cricket Club as the 70 per cent humidity ramped up the heat on a 31C day.
As he mopped his brow, the Welshman insisted that it was just the temperatures in south-east Asia making him sweat.
He stressed it was nothing to do with the uncertainty surrounding his future at Arsenal.
“Am I under pressure? No,” said Ramsey, who has been offered a new five-year deal by the club which he has yet to sign.
“It’s my decision and whatever I decide to do, that’s on me.
“The only thing that makes it awkward is the media keep asking the questions. It’s like having a baby in the car saying, ‘Are we there yet, are we there yet?’ Scenes
“Listen, I’m a player who always gives 100 per cent regardless of what’s going on.
“I will be no different to that and I will give absolutely everything to try to achieve something special this season and win football games, regardless of what is going on behind the scenes.
“We are communicating. My agent and the club are speaking but we’re yet to come to an agreement.
“I’ve still got a year left and I’m looking forward to being in an Arsenal shirt in the new season and doing my best for this club.
“I’m hoping to have a successful season under the new manager.”
New Arsenal boss Unai Emery has made no secret of the fact he wants Ramsey to stay.
As well as a wage hike there is the added incentive that the 27-year-old midfielder is a contender for the captaincy following
Per Mertesacker’s retirement and the long-term injury to Laurent Koscielny. Ramsey said: “The captaincy is a massive responsibility and it would be an honour to captain this club.
“The manager is yet to decide so we’ll have to wait and see for that.
“But if the opportunity is there, I don’t think any player would say ‘No’ to it and I’m no different to that.”
Ramsey, who joined Arsenal from Cardiff 10 years ago and is the Gunners’ longest-serving player, has been impressed with what he has seen from Emery during pre-season.
He is looking forward to putting things into practice against Atletico Madrid tonight and Paris St-Germain on Saturday.
Passionate
Ramsey said: “We’ve had a couple of good meetings.
“We talked purely football and the way we want to play.
“It was really encouraging and I’m looking forward to getting going again. What we have seen from him is that he’s very passionate, tactically we’ve been doing a lot of work on the training pitch and I’m excited to get started under him.
“These games are massive for us to test all the hard work that we’re doing over pre-season and trying out different ways. I’m excited.
“You always have to wait and see for the first few games if these new ideas are going to work out or if it’s going to take a bit longer than expected.
“But all the players are looking forward to this new challenge and hopefully it will be another successful season.”