Aaron Ramsey is in Glasgow in order to seal his loan move to Rangers from Juventus; Scottish champions will have an option to make the deal permanent in the summer; Ramsey could make Rangers debut at Celtic on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports
Monday 31 January 2022 21:42, UK
Aaron Ramsey has all but agreed to join Rangers on loan from Juventus.
Ramsey is in Glasgow in order to complete the move, which is viewed as a major coup by the Scottish champions.
Rangers are confident of confirming the midfielder's arrival before the Scottish transfer window shuts at midnight on Monday.
Players registered by that time will be eligible for the midweek round of fixtures, meaning Ramsey would be able to make his debut for Rangers at Celtic on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports.
Juventus will cover a portion of Ramsey's wages during his time in Scotland, which has allowed Rangers to fit him into their wage structure.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side will have the option to make Ramsey's move permanent in the summer.
Several Premier League clubs were also interested in signing the midfielder, who was told he could leave Juventus this month.
Crystal Palace and Wolves were two of those side, but it is understood they are focusing their attentions elsewhere. Burnley have also been keen but believed Ramsey was destined to move elsewhere during this window.
Sources also mentioned Borussia Dortmund as being a possible destination for Ramsey, but Sky in Germany reported they were not pursuing a deal.
Sky Sports' Jack Wilkinson:
Ramsey was widely applauded for taking the leap to go and play overseas, and it's a decision that has almost certainly been vindicated.
Despite not quite hitting the levels he did in his final season at Arsenal, Ramsey's first two campaigns at Juventus under Maurizio Sarri and then Andrea Pirlo were a success and saw the Welshman win Serie A, Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles.
Issues have cropped up this season under Massimiliano Allegri, however, mainly in the form of injuries, which have limited him to just three Serie A appearances this season.
In fact, Ramsey has missed 17 games this season, as many as he did in his first two seasons combined at Juventus.
Ramsey will undoubtedly look back at his time at Juventus, the success he's enjoyed, and the opportunity to experience a new footballing culture, fondly, but for a player aged 31, and with a decent chunk of his career remaining, he cannot be appearing as infrequently as he has.
With Juventus reportedly keen to get Ramsey's hefty salary off the wage bill, moving on from the club could be one that suits both club and player.
A clearer indication of the prowess Ramsey still possesses, and his possible suitability to Rangers, can be seen upon studying his performances for Wales since he moved to Juventus, rather than his final-season struggles in Turin.
Remarkably, Ramsey has scored more goals for his country, 13, since moving to Juventus than he actually has for Juventus, and that's despite playing three times the number of Serie A games.
In terms of his name and reputation alone, three-time FA Cup winner Ramsey would definitely sprinkle some stardust on Giovani van Bronckhorst's squad, who head into 2022 in position to retain the Scottish Premiership title.
But with just hours to go until the January window slams shut, Rangers must weigh up whether Ramsey's form for Juventus and Wales justifies adjusting their wage structure, and whether Ramsey is a calculated gamble worth taking.
The clock is ticking. Who will be on the move before the transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday January 31?
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
