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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
John Jones

Everything we know so far about Aaron Ramsey's sensational links to Cardiff City and what happens next

He's the name on the lips of every Cardiff City at the moment and Aaron Ramsey has done little to quash rumours he could be heading back to the capital this summer.

The Wales captain has been linked with a stunning return to Cardiff City Stadium ahead of next season amid uncertainty about his future, with his contract at French side Nice set to expire this week.

Without revealing any names, Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman had told supporters to expect an "exciting" signing soon, but Ramsey was surely pie in the sky? Not so, it seems, as talk of a sensational homecoming for the former Arsenal and Juventus star has gathered momentum in the last few weeks.

READ MORE: Cardiff City receive major boost as EFL reduce transfer ban to free up Erol Bulut to spend money on players

Such a move would, of course, be a major coup for Cardiff who narrowly avoided relegation to League One last season but are now looking to rebuild in a new era for the club under manager Erol Bulut.

There would be an air of romance to it too, with the 32-year-old returning to the club he joined at the age of eight before rising through the ranks and playing in the 2008 FA Cup final in his first professional season before sealing a move to the Gunners.

And Ramsey has certainly not ruled anything out, instead adding fuel to the fire with his comments in recent weeks.

"One day," he said when asked if he would come back to Cardiff during an event in his hometown of Caerphilly on Friday. "I'd love to go back there, but who knows when that time might be. We'll see."

Later that afternoon, he explained that while he remained unsure about what the future holds, returning to the capital would "mean a lot" to him, as he told reporters: "They gave me an opportunity as a young boy and to go on and to become a professional. Maybe one day I will go back and it'll mean a lot.

"I've always said that one day I'd love to go back there. I think there are a few things that need sorting out over the next few weeks, but the most important thing for me is to enjoy my time with family, and make the most important decision for us.

"I think there are three or four weeks now to enjoy and put the feet up. It's been a long season with the World Cup and everything sandwiched in between."

And asked directly if a move to the capital could happen this summer, he simply replied: "Who knows?"

It's clear that, whatever Ramsey decides to do next, family considerations will be at the heart of it, with the 82-cap international admitting that he found being away from his wife and children, who have been based in south Wales, "the most challenging thing" about his time at Nice.

"I've been away from my family and seeing the kids growing up, missing out, it's always difficult," he said ahead of Wales' Euro 2024 qualifiiers against Armenia and Turkey. "[It's] difficult for anyone to go through, I imagine.

"Whatever we do going forward, we will be reunited and back together."

He reaffirmed this stance earlier this week, telling reporters in Caerphilly: "The most important thing is my family and whatever decision we make going forward will be a family decision."

So what happens now? Well, according to Dalman, the ball is firmly in the Wales captain's court.

Admitting that he would be interested in bringing Ramsey back to the Bluebirds, the chairman said the move was now down to the former Arsenal man.

"We'll wait and see," he told BBC Radio Wales when quizzed on the potential deal. "We'd love to see him back in Cardiff. But really it's his call more than ours.

"Ramsey will do what he wants to do. If he decides to look at us, we'll welcome him with open arms. I can't really say much more than that."

While, owing to injuries, Ramsey may not quite be the player he once was, when firing on all cylinders he still oozes class and has natural ability that few if any Championship players could hope to match.

He has struggled in a Wales shirt recently, being overrun in midfield, but if moved to the number 10 role and given freedom to create, he could prove a perfect fit for Bulut's side, hitting teams in transitions and creating goal-scoring opportunities with dangerous balls forward and into the box.

As he has proved with his previous teams, under Bulut Cardiff will create chances and score badly-needed goals. Who better to set them up than Ramsey?

Then when you consider shirt sales, ticket sales and the impact it could have on team morale and the club's allure, such a move just makes sense.

But, of course, it's never that straightfoward. A player of the Welshman's experience and talent is bound to have many other potential suitors and he may opt to make a return to the Premier League or continue his European adventure rather than head to the Championship.

"I'm excited," he said last week. "I still have enough football left in me and there's a lot still to play for, internationally and club-wise and that gives me a lot of incentive to keep performing at the highest level I possibly can."

And while it's easy to get caught up in the romance of it all, Cardiff fans will have learnt from last summer when Gareth Bale was tipped for a sensational move to the capital - even meeting then boss Steve Morison at the training ground - before opting for a move to MLS side Los Angeles FC instead.

There's no doubt it would be one of the biggest moves of this summer's window and one that could prove mutually beneficial for club and player - but will we see Ramsey in a Bluebirds shirt come August?

As the man himself says, we'll just have to wait and see.

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