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Aaron Ramsey speaks for the first time on returning to Cardiff City

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey speaks for the first time on returning to Cardiff City, signing with the Championship club on a two-year deal.

The ex-Arsenal midfielder joins the Bluebirds after Nice had earlier confirmed that he had left the French club by mutual agreement.

He played as a schoolboy for Cardiff City, where he had an eight year spell in youth football, going on to become the club’s youngest ever first team player, and made 28 appearances (including loan spell) for the senior side – including the 2008 FA Cup Final.

Ramsey left to join Arsenal in 2008 in a £5 million deal, where he quickly gained first-team experience, but unfortunately his career stalled significantly after he suffered a broken leg in a match against Stoke City in February 2010.

He had two loan spells away from the Gunners, returning to full fitness and re-established himself as a regular starter during the 2011–12 season.

He also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Ramsey was a key player for Arsenal in the 2013–14 campaign, scoring 16 times in all competitions, including the winner in the 2014 FA Cup Final against Hull City.

He also played in the 2015 FA Cup Final, with Arsenal winning that, and scored a second FA Cup winning goal in 2017.

In July 2019, he signed for Juventus after having signed a pre-contractual agreement, winning the league title in his first season.

He also helped them win the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, while scoring 6 times in 70 games.

For the 2021/22 season, he signed for Rangers on loan, scoring two goals in 13 games. Many will remember how in the UEFA Europa League Final, he came on as a late extra-time substitute, only to have his penalty saved by Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kevin Trapp in the resulting shootout.

On the 26th of July, Juventus announced the termination of his contract.

In 2022, he joined French club Nice, playing 34 times with one goal to his name.

However he wanted to make new memories, so on the 15th July 2023, Ramsey re-joined Cardiff City after his contract with Nice was terminated by mutual consent.

Ramsey made his full international debut for Wales in 2008 and was part of their UEFA Euro 2016 campaign, where he helped guid his country to the semi-finals and was included in the Team of the Tournament.

He was instrumental in securing qualification for UEFA Euro 2020, the country’s second successive European tournament, and at the delayed tournament, Wales made it to the last 16. Ramsey was also a member of the squad that qualified for the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first team to do so since 1958, which he described as a “dream come true”.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Cardiff City FC are delighted to announce that Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has returned to the Welsh capital, signing a two-year contract with the Bluebirds.

A three-time Emirates FA Cup winner, the 32-year-old re-joins City for a third spell with the Club. After coming through the ranks with the Cardiff City Academy, Ramsey became our youngest ever player in April 2007, making his First Team debut aged just 16 years and 123 days – a record that stands to this day.

The midfielder broke into the Bluebirds’ side during the 2007/08 campaign and came off the bench to replace City legend Peter Whittingham in the 2008 FA Cup Final, before moving to Arsenal.

Ramsey returned to South Wales on loan in February 2011, making six unbeaten appearances during a one-month spell, and assisting Craig Bellamy’s famous winning goal in the South Wales derby.

With over 500 career appearances under his belt, Aaron now returns to his boyhood club on a two-year deal, after competing at the highest levels of world football for over a decade.

The playmaker lifted the Emirates FA Cup on three occasions during his time with Arsenal, scoring the winning goals in the 2014 Final against Hull City and the 2017 Final against Chelsea.

Aaron also tasted success in Italy with Juventus, becoming a Serie A champion in 2019/20 and a Coppa Italia winner in 2021. He has also finished as runner-up in the UEFA Europa League on two occasions.

On the international stage, Ramsey has made 83 appearances for the Wales national team, scoring 20 goals. Aaron was a key member of the team which reached the Semi-Finals of UEFA UERO 2016, and also scored the crucial goals against Hungary which secured Wales’ qualification for UEFA EURO 2020.

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A post shared by Aaron Ramsey (@aaronramsey)

Upon completing his return to the capital, Aaron said: “It feels unbelievable to finally be back here. I always thought one day I’d come back, and now it’s the perfect time to do that.

“To be back with my family and around familiar faces is just brilliant, so I’m delighted to be back here now. I’ve missed that a lot in the last year or so, so it was important for me to be back around them.

“Obviously I’m a Cardiff City fan, and watching them over the years since I’ve been away, we’ve had some low points but some big highs as well, being in the Premier League and representing Cardiff on the big stage. That’s a target of mine – to try and help my teammates and this club to get back to the top.

“I’ve said it many times in the past – I owe so much to Cardiff, to the fans, to everybody who has been at the Club when I was here as a young boy coming through.

“For me now to come full circle, to be part of this team now, and hopefully achieve the goals we want, there’s no better feeling than that.”

A delighted Erol Bulut added: “This is, of course, a great day. Aaron started here, and now he is back to help us to achieve our targets.

“First of all I want to thank Tan Sri Vincent Tan for making everything possible. Also, our Chairman, Mehmet Dalman, and Ken Choo. They have worked very hard over the last two or three weeks.

“Aaron has had a great career. In the Premier League, then Italy and France, and now back home in Cardiff. I hope his last years with us will be great too, and I hope we can make our dreams come true.”

The Cardiff City journey of another member of the Ramsey family started at the same time Aaron’s return was made official.

Sonny Ramsey, Aaron’s oldest son, put pen-to-paper on a letter of intent. Great to have you with us too, Sonny!

HIS INTERVIEW:

“It feels unbelievable to finally be back here.” Aaron began. “I always thought one day I’d come back, and now it’s the perfect time to do that.

“To be back with my family and around familiar faces is just brilliant, so I’m delighted to be back here now. I’ve missed that a lot in the last year or so, so it was important for me to be back around them.

“Obviously I’m a Cardiff City fan, and watching them over the years since I’ve been away, we’ve had some low points but some big highs as well, being in the Premier League and representing Cardiff on the big stage.

“That’s a target of mine – to try and help my teammates and this club to get back to the top.

“For me, I always looked up to certain players and one day wanting to be on that pitch at Ninian Park, representing Cardiff City.

“Graham Kavanagh at the time was always the player I used to look up to, and I wanted to try and emulate what he was.

“I feel good. I’ve been keeping myself ticking over in the off-season, so for me now it’s about trying to get into team sessions, get some minutes and then I’ll be good to go.

“I’ve met with the manager a few times now, and had a few discussions about the way he wants to play, his style and his methods.

“I’m very excited to get going now, to be a part of that, and to try and help my teammates and the staff here to achieve our goals this season.

“I feel like I’m still capable of producing performances, so for me there was no better time to come back.

“I’m really excited to start the season, and there’s no better to start than by playing Leeds United away.

“I’ve said it many times in the past – I owe so much to Cardiff, to the fans, to everybody who has been at the Club when I was here as a young boy coming through.

“For me now to come full circle, to be part of this team now, and hopefully achieve the goals we want, there’s no better feeling than that.

This is how fans reacted as Aaron Ramsey speaks for the first time on returning to Cardiff City…

@Mikeyccfc: Look at him 💙💙💙 he looks beautiful in blue. Genuinely haven’t felt this happy and proud as a city fan for years and years. Welcome home @aaronramsey

@IfcAlex_: love when a player returns back to their original club even tho he could’ve easily gone to saudi or the mls for huge cash

@janiharju: Good luck to both of you. Your time at The Arsenal will be remembered warmly.

@MorganDCF11: I’m crying over a football club, nah 😭😭

@loubelloubel: Walking on your home pitch with your boy. What a feeling 💙

@RBlue1927: Admin working overtime on a Saturday night. @CardiffCityFC treat them to a Chinese at least.

@AWAFC: Congrats, everybody has their story and their path but i would of loved you to have stayed at Arsenal.. good luck Rambo

@Mikeyccfc: Welcome home Aaron!! I’ve never seen any player look so so happy to be signing for any club let alone Cardiff. It shows the type of man you are to return home to end you’re career at the club you love. We love you Aaron 💙💙

@Mr_Peteroy: That is just so beautiful. Must be incredible to sign on the same day as your son, that can’t have happened with many people before surely!

@BennetStone: Welcome home Rambo. You’ve done a great thing here. We won’t disappoint you. 💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@Bethaan92: What a beautiful sight!! Welcome home!! 💙⚽️🥹🐦

@ibisset98: Hope he’s practiced his penalty kicks in the past year

@Meggsy36: Love it❣️ Truely humbled to have you home! Truely unbelievable you had many choices on the table didn’t think of the money you made the choice with your heart! That in itself puts you at a different level and class ❣️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@Crooky89: Welcome home Caerphilly King 💙🐦

@TheNinianStand: Welcome home Ramsey

@Forkmork252: A great lift for the club. Welcome back Rambo!

@SD8716: Pure class Rambo! In the current day and age where players are shooting off to the middle East, you just want to be home, inspiring the next generation. Hats off to you.

@timcwegener: ❤️❤️❤️ Caerphilly’s greatest ever footballer coming back to where he belongs. 🙂

@RhydBowPhill: Diolch @aaronramsey 💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿⚽️

@tomparrott5: Huge respect to you Aaron. Turned down all that money to return to your roots. Money can’t buy class.

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