Nick Ware

Fri 10 December 2021 7:10, UK

Everton made contact on Thursday (9 December) over the potential signing of Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey, according to Mirko Di Natale.

The Italian journalist, who works for Tutto Juve, made the claim via his personal Twitter profile, where he is followed by ESPN’s Gabriele Marcotti.

Di Natale wrote: “On Ramsey: In the morning the contact between the agent and Juve at Continassa. No to resolution, yes to a common solution between the parties. There have been contacts with Everton in the last few hours, but there are also some other Premier League clubs interested.”

Wage structure smashed?

Ramsey, 30, joined Juve in 2019 after his contract expired at Arsenal, signing a £400,000-a-week deal in Turin [BBC].

The “awesome” [Unai Emery, Goal] Wales international is still contracted to the Italian giants for another 18 months and surely does not want to accept a substantial wage cut before then, unless his current club agrees to a hefty pay-off.

For all of his qualities, with Gary Lineker hailing him as “brilliant” in June after his European Championship exploits, signing Ramsey would represent a risk, of sorts, for Everton, potentially disrupting their squad with the addition of someone who would likely smash their wage structure.

At his age, turning 31 before the year is out, and with his injury record, it’s a risk that’s not worth taking.

Money appears to be tight at Goodison Park and signing someone of Ramey’s calibre for a cut-price fee, or for nothing if Juve release him, could be an attractive proposition.

But the Blues must take a more holistic approach and look at the full package.

In other Everton news, the Blues have green-lighted a stunning Blues star loan exit in January as this American-owned club plots a mid-season swoop.

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