About

Aaron James Ramsey (born 26 December 1990 in Caerphilly) is a Welsh international footballer, who plays as a central midfielder for Arsenal, but can also play on either wing or at fullback.

Club Football

Cardiff City

After impressing in an Urdd tournament as a youngster he signed for Cardiff City, who beat off competition from Newcastle United, as a schoolboy at the age of eight working his way through the club's youth system eventually making his Cardiff City debut in the last home game of the 2006-07 Championship season, coming on to replace Paul Parry in the final minute of the 1-0 defeat to Hull City on 28 April 2007. In doing so, Ramsey became the youngest player to ever play for Cardiff City, aged just 16 years and 124 days, beating the previous record holder John Toshack.

In June 2007, Cardiff City turned down a bid of over £1m for Ramsey from a London-based Premier League club. The club has not been named, but it is widely believed that they have continued to watch Ramsey at every available opportunity during the 2007-08 season. Cardiff also turned down a £1m offer, although the deal was to start with a payment of £200,000 and rise depending on his future achievements, from Everton and their Merseyside rivals Liverpool are also watching the youngster.

He made his first league appearance of the 2007/08 season on 6 October when he came on as a late substitute for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the 2-1 home win over Burnley. Ramsey signed his first professional contract in December 2007 and went on to make his first full professional start for Cardiff on 5 January in the FA Cup against non-league side Chasetown replacing the suspended Stephen McPhail. An impressive performance from Ramsey saw him head in the second Cardiff goal as they went on to win 3-1. Due to his performance against Chasetown Ramsey was nominated for the Player Of The Round award, eventually losing out to Coventry's Michael Mifsud. He went on to make his first career league start three weeks later in a 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers and began to establish himself in the first team making several more starts in the Cardiff side. He made a total of 22 appearances during the season, his first full season of professional football, and played in five of the club's six FA Cup matches, including the final, en route to the final.

Following Ramsey's impressive performance in the 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Middlesbrough it was revealed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had talked to Cardiff boss Dave Jones to enquire about Ramsey, joining Arsenal, Newcastle United and Everton in following his progress. Cardiff Chairman Peter Ridsdale told the BBC that Arsenal's bid of £5 million up front had been accepted. Arsenal's bid did not include a loan clause that would allow Ramsey to stay at Cardiff for another season.

Arsenal

On 10 June 2008 it was confirmed that after meeting officials from Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton, Ramsey had decided to join Arsenal, who paid Cardiff City a total of £4.8 million for the player. The move was completed on 13 June 2008 on what is said to be a long-term contract. The main reason he chose Arsenal ahead of the other clubs that pursued his signature was the approach of Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who flew him and his family to Switzerland to talk about the plans Wenger had for him and his potential future with Arsenal. Wenger described Ramsey as "a player with a fantastic engine, good build, good technique and good vision".

Ramsey made his competitive debut for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round against FC Twente on 13 August 2008 and his league debut a month later against Blackburn Rovers on 13 September 2008, marking it with an assist to Emmanuel Adebayor for Arsenal's fourth and Adebayor's third. On 23 September 2008 he completed 90 minutes in Arsenal's third round Carling Cup game against Sheffield United where he added two more assists to his season's tally, setting up Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela, which Arsenal won 6–0. He scored his first goal for the club in their 5–2 victory away against Fenerbahce in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League by shooting a long range shot which hit the left post and went in, becoming the fifth youngest scorer in Champions League history, and only the second player born in the 1990s to score a Champions League goal.

Ramsey was named amongst host of young players poised to shine in 2009 by Fifa.com

International Football

In August 2007, Ramsey made his debut for the Wales Under 21 side, coming on as a second half substitute in their 4-3 victory over Sweden. In doing so he became one of the youngest players ever to play for the under-21 side. He is also a former captain of the Wales U17 side. In May 2008, Ramsey was called up to the senior squad, to face Holland and Iceland in friendly games, although he did not play in either game. In doing so becoming one of the youngest ever players to be called up to the Welsh squad, alongside the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale.

Personal Life