10 October 2023 , 08:31
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Aaron Ramsey has opened up on “mad” voicemails from Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger after being at the centre of a transfer tug of war.
The Welsh midfielder was one of the hottest properties in British football back in 2008. At just 17 years old, both Manchester United and Arsenal were keen to sign him from Cardiff City.
Both Premier League sides launched bids for Ramsey’s signature. Now back with boyhood club Cardiff, he has now revealed what it was like having both Wenger and Ferguson battling it out for his services. As quoted by FourFourTwo, he said: "I was always a Cardiff supporter, but my dad was a Manchester United fan and I watched them quite a lot with him.
"It was a strange time in my life, to have two teams I’d watched so much as a child showing interest in me. I spoke to both managers on the phone a few times. I was 17 years old and I was getting voicemails from Fergie and Arsene Wenger! It was mad."
With the battle for Ramsey ongoing throughout the 2008 summer transfer window, United thought they had won out. The Red Devils even announced that a fee had been agreed for his signing, with the midfielder due to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.
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However, he eventually went on to put pen to paper on a deal with Arsenal. "Arsenal felt like the right decision for me,” the Welshman added.
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“I remember showing up to training on my first day and seeing Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, William Gallas... I had to pinch myself. I was like, ‘What on Earth am I doing here?’ It was an exciting time for me."
Ramsey previously revealed that Wenger’s effort in getting him to North London eventually convinced him to make the switch. Speaking to Sky Sports in 2018, he said: "I went up there to see the facilities and I went to see Arsene Wenger. He did a lot to try and get me to this club.
“As a 17-year-old, flying out on a private jet to his hotel [in Switzerland for Euro 2008] was surreal but I think I made the right decision. I just felt a bit more wanted by Arsenal and by the boss."
Ramsey went on to become an iconic player for Arsenal following his switch. He made 369 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 64 goals.
He also helped the club to three FA Cups before leaving for Juventus on a free transfer. Ramsey’s time in Turin was short as he was allowed to join Rangers on loan before a permanent switch to Nice. The 32-year-old is now back with Cardiff and scored three goals in six Championship appearances before suffering a knee injury.