Football League World
·2 March 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·2 March 2024
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk‘ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Cardiff City's signing of Aaron Ramsey in the summer was one of the most exciting the club have made in years, although it has not quite gone to plan so far.
Ramsey left the club in 2008 after defeat to Portsmouth in the FA Cup Final, joining Arsenal on a £5 million as a 17-year-old following a breakout season at Ninian Park.
After moving around clubs including Juventus and Rangers, he rejoined Cardiff after 15 years away in the summer of 2023. The Wales captain signed on a free transfer, and was immediately made the highest-paid player at the club, according to Capology.
Sadly, injuries have made his return to his boyhood club a disappointment, with game time being limited following an impressive start to the campaign.
FLW's Cardiff City fan pundit Ben Johnsey has claimed that the signing of Ramsey in the summer was a big signing for the club and the fans, even if injuries have limited him in appearances so far this season.
The move has seen some incredible moments, and his return to the club has coincided with a big improvement in midfielder Rubin Colwill, so it is hard to call the move a failure with another year still left on his contract.
He said: "On Aaron Ramsey, I will say that sometimes in football it is nice to have a signing or situation that is just big for the club, and big for the fans personally.
"I don't think anyone was expecting Ramsey to necessarily come in and change the entire squad for the whole season. He played 34 games last season, which was the most games he played for a while.
"I think we all expected him to play more than he has, but the moment he's already created - the goal against Swansea, even the goal against Leicester was incredible - and sometimes it's nice in football to have those moments and have him come back and be there around the dressing room.
"The improvement in Colwill has come alongside Ramsey being at the club, so there may be something in that as well.
"He's here next season, hopefully there can be more games played, and those injuries can subside, but I wouldn't say there's any regret over the deal from any Cardiff fans.
"It's just good to see Ramsey smiling and around the squad, so hopefully, these injuries can subside a bit. It really was just a nice signing and just one in football where it's nice to not take it so seriously, and have someone like that in the door."
A series of injuries and illnesses have limited the Wales midfielder to just a handful of appearances so far for the Bluebirds, the majority of which came at the beginning of the season.
In the first six matches in the Championship, Ramsey scored three times (including a long-range strike against Leicester City and a penalty in the South Wales derby against Swansea City) before being struck down by a knee injury.
Since then, he has spent the majority of his time in the treatment room, although he has made occasional substitute appearances in February before another injury will keep him out until the end of March.
While it may be too late to save the Bluebirds' season and make a push for the play-off places, fans will be hoping Ramsey can regain his fitness and be an important player for the club before his