Why Juventus must part ways with Aaron Ramsey this summer

Juventus have a critical summer transfer window ahead of them after they were knocked out of the Champions League Round of 16 for a second straight season. While much of the pomp and circumstance of media coverage has centered around Cristiano Ronaldo – because of course it has – it surely isn’t in Juve’s best interest to cut ties with their best player.

Now, whether Ronaldo wants to stay or go to Real Madrid is the real area of intrigue. But no matter what the No. 7 decides, Juventus have to think about the other aspects of their roster first, because even though Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala are the biggest names, the real issue is that the club has struggled in spite of their greatness.

In 2019, Juve signed former Arsenal standout Aaron Ramsey on a “free” transfer. As the air quotes suggest, nothing in football is truly free. These types of transfers usually carry high salaries with them, and Ramsey’s is no exception.

Per MARCA, Ramsey makes seven million euros per year. Only Ronaldo, Dybala, and superstar center back Matthijs de Ligt make more money. So Ramsey is Juve’s top earner outside of three of the best players in the world. And prior to the start of the 2020-2021 season, the only other players who made more, Gonzalo Higuain and Miralem Pjanic, were jettisoned in the summer transfer market

Aaron Ramsey is not meeting the seven million euro salary that Juventus are paying him

Ramsey needs to be next. The attacking midfielder is Juve’s most creative midfielder, but, well, that’s part of the problem. Juventus are already in the market for a better midfielder, such as Houssem Aouar or Manuel Locatelli or even Paul Pogba. In order to afford that kind of an upgrade, Juve probably can’t keep around a player making seven million euros per year.

Maybe more importantly to Juventini, Ramsey isn’t even coming close to measuring up to that salary, which is a huge problem in a pandemic situation. The 30-year-old has two goals and four assists this season in 983 minutes, which is actually a good return per minutes played. Per FBRef.com, only four Juventus players have a higher average of goals and assists per 90 minutes than Ramsey: Ronaldo, Alvaro Morata, Federico Chiesa, and Dybala in that order.

But is under 1,000 minutes of good-but-not-great production worth it? Ramsey is capable of contributing goals, but he doesn’t really offer much else. He’s not going to beat players one-on-one, and he doesn’t really fit in Juve’s system. Ramsey isn’t good enough at controlling games or playing defense (his defending is atrocious, despite his best efforts) to be a center midfielder for a top-class Serie A side. And while Andrea Pirlo has experimented with him on the left wing, his lack of speed prevents him from being a fit there.

Ramsey isn’t a bad player. In fact, Juventus are noticeably more vibrant in the attack when he starts. The problem is that it’s hard to find a fit for him in the lineup. And at seven million euros per year, the Bianconeri are better off parting ways with Ramsey and using that money to pay for the salary of a midfielder who both fits better and can conceivably start for a few years.

Juventini should respect Ramsey for his career accomplishments and the quality that still exists, but there is a recognition that the club simply can’t rely on him. And at that price, it’s better for Ramsey to move out of Turin this summer.