Emotional Cardiff City summer signing has been a bitter let-down: View | OneFootball

It seemed like the fairytale move of the summer; Aaron Ramsey was coming home, and everyone associated with Cardiff City rolled out the red carpet for the returning hero.

The proud Welshman - who had helped steer his country to European semi-finals as well as a first World Cup in over 60 years since his last appearance in blue - was back where it all began, and had Bluebirds fans giddy with excitement about the season ahead.

Dreams of Rambo firing in the winner as the Welsh capital celebrated a return to the top flight would have been ruminating around many a City fan’s head once the deal was done, but in reality things haven’t been quite so spectacular.

After a flurry of goals to kick off his campaign, the 33-year-old has once again been blighted by the injuries that have been prominent throughout his career, with his season already over after the latest in a series of setbacks.

Aaron Ramsey Cardiff City 23/24 Championship season

What a sight it was to see the Welsh wizard back in blue at the start of the season though, with the former Arsenal man rolling back the years with a series of dazzling performances announcing his return to his most beloved stage.

Goals against Leicester City and Ipswich Town had City fans licking their lips at what the season could have in store for them after some strong performances to kick off the campaign, and gave supporters a moment to remember in September.

A hometown hero netting the win-sealing penalty in the Welsh derby; only football could write a script like that, and that’s exactly what happened in the 2-0 victory over Swansea City, although it will have bitter-sweet memories for Ramsey.

That appearance would turn out to be his last of the year after being ruled out with a knee tendon injury, an issue that kept him sidelined all the way up until February, leaving Erol Bulut having to make do without his main man in the centre of the park.

With just seven appearances in 2024 - the latest being in the 1-0 victory over Birmingham City a fortnight ago - another knock will keep the Welsh international out of action until the end of the season, meaning will have seen him play just 716 minutes of league action this season.

That is a fact that seems to have irritated Bulut, with the Bluebirds boss adamant the midfielder should resist playing for his country during the summer internationals on the horizon.

"He had a grade two strain which means three weeks minimum, which means the season is finished for him," he said.

"A long time he has been away. For a long time, many of our main players have not been with us. This breaks our neck this season.

"I think for him, we have to be honest, he had an injury, he came back and got another injury and now he needs to get fit.

"I think he needs to prepare himself for the new season and not think about the national team, whether he will play or not.

"Health is most important for a football player, so he needs to focus on getting fit and starting the new season well with Cardiff City."

Aaron Ramsey Cardiff City contract information

Ramsey signed a two-year deal with the club last summer, meaning he still has another season left to play in the Welsh capital, and City fans will be hoping they see more of him in the following campaign than they did this.

Capology estimates that the 33-year-old is the highest paid player at the club by some margin, with his £50,000 weekly wage dwarfing the rest of the squad who play week in, week out.

The next highest earners after the former Arsenal man reportedly all earn a maximum of £20,000 a week, with frontmen Karlan Grant [pictured] and Callum Robinson among the players paid the most at the club.

With his minimal time on the field this season, the midfielder has earned himself £3631 per minute he has played in the Championship this season, and is surely sucking up funds from the club that could be used better elsewhere.

As emotional and sentimental the signing was, Ramsey has failed to make the impact that the Bluebirds really desired from him, and with his injury record we could be having the exact same conversation in a year’s time when his contract elapses.