Ramsey snub is a blunder – Merson
Paul Merson says Newcastle United and Wolves have made a transfer blunder in not moving for Wales star Aaron Ramsey.
The Juventus midfielder is closing in on a loan move to Scottish giants Rangers, with a host of Premier League clubs trailing him for the past month or so.
Wolves, Crystal Palace and Burnley have all been credited with interest, with links to the Magpies heavily trailed for some time.
Instead Eddie Howe have splashed the cash on the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, with more set to come in through the door before tonight’s 11pm deadline.
But Merson feels the Toon have missed a trick not signing Ramsey, who he believes would be their best acquisition “by a country mile”.
By the same token, he believes Wolves have also made a mistake.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson said: “It’s brilliant for Rangers, absolutely brilliant news.
Bad news for Celtic.
“It just shows you how much those two teams have come on and how big they are that Aaron Ramsey at Juventus would go to Glasgow Rangers.
“[His time in Italy has been] disappointing. He got behind the eight ball early doors, got an injury.
“I just think when you get a move, you need to start well at a big, big club like that and it didn’t work out for him. He hasn’t had the opportunities he’d have wanted.
“But I’m very shocked there aren’t a lot of Premier League clubs in for him. Very shocked.
“He’s a player who scores goals from midfield. A good player. I’m pretty shocked that there’s not more clubs in for Aaron Ramsey.
“I don’t know a team who wouldn’t [benefit from signing him] if I’m being honest.
“There’s no Frank Lampards around anymore who score goals from midfield. I mean, you’re
looking at Newcastle buying players from left, right and centre. But [Ramsey] would be the best player they’ve bought by a country mile, in my opinion.
“I think [he’d be a good fit for Wolves]. When you’ve got Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves in midfield and him making runs, those two would find him all day, he’d get bundles of goals - but we hear Wolves have pulled out.”
Meanwhile Rangers are paying “next to nothing” for Aaron Ramsey’s loan deal from Juventus.
That’s according to Daily Record columnist Tam McManus, who has revealed he has spoken to the Wales star’s agent who told him that the Italian side “have had a bit of a nightmare” over the deal.
Ramsey is edging ever closer to the Ibrox club, with a loan until the end of the season set to be agreed imminently.
It is a shock move for the 31-year-old, and McManus has claimed the Scottish giants will pay peanuts for his services.
McManus told The PLZ Football Show: “I think it’s boom or bust for Rangers this season.
“Everything is in that basket to win the league and get into that Champions League. That £40million kitty at the end of it would be huge, and give them a huge advantage over Celtic as well.
“Aaron Ramsey, from what I’ve heard from his agent Dave Baldwin, is that Rangers are paying next to nothing on that deal.
“I don’t know how that has came about, but he said Juventus have had a bit of a nightmare.
“Fair play to Aaron Ramsey for coming to Rangers. I think he could of went to the English Premier League, but he’s decided to go to Glasgow for a different challenge.”