Het Aaron Ramsey topic #1: Het nieuwe supertalent van Wales.

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Man Utd in bidding war for Ramsey

Manchester United are one of two top Premier League clubs to have had offers accepted by Cardiff City for Welsh teenage sensation Aaron Ramsey. The Champions League winners have announced an offer has been accepted, believed to be about £5m to £6m . But another top club has joined the bidding battle and the BBC understands Arsenal have had an offer accepted. Cardiff insist no deal has been struck and the 17-year-old will ultimately decide on his chosen destination.

A statement on United's official website confirmed: "Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical."

But a statement from FA Cup finalists Cardiff said: "We can confirm that on 3 June the club has received formal bids from three top Premier League teams for Aaron Ramsey. And Aaron has been given permission to speak to two of these teams. One of these teams is Manchester United though at this stage we can confirm that no deal has been done and the player has not yet agreed terms."

Sir Alex Ferguson kept a close eye on the young prodigy since Ramsey, the most wanted man outside the Premier League, broke into the Cardiff first-team this season. Cardiff boss Dave Jones and Ridsdale met Ferguson when Cardiff's management team travelled to Barcelona in April before United's Champions League semi-final. Suggestions are that the Manchester United manager will loan Ramsey back to The Bluebirds next season so the player known as 'Rambo' could gain vital first-team experience. It will be the second deal struck between the two clubs this summer when Cardiff signed United's reserve team goalkeeper Tom Heaton on a season-long loan.

Uncapped Ramsey was included in John Toshack's full Wales squad for last week's friendly double-header against Iceland and The Netherlands but did not feature. Ramsey has played just 22 games for Championship side Cardiff but has been touted as Ryan Giggs' heir apparent in the Wales side and the Caerphilly-born Welsh speaker could follow his idol and fellow countryman at Old Trafford.

Wales youth guru Brian Flynn has hailed Ramsey as "sensational." Flynn told BBC Sport last week: "He has everything - temperament, attitude, ability and work-ethic - to be a top Premier League and international player for the next 15 years. No wonder Sir Alex Ferguson likes the look of him, he's a special talent."

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Aaron Ramsey Factfile: 10 things you must know about Man Utd's target

Aaron Ramsey is set to become the next teenage Premiership sensation following his proposed transfer from Cardiff City to Manchester United. If your knowledge of the Welsh starlet is a little rusty, then let Mirror.co.uk's essential fact file fill in the gaps.

1) Cardiff first signed Aaron Ramsey as an eight year-old schoolboy after he impressed in a Welsh League of Youth tournament. They beat off competition from Newcastle for the youngster’s signature.

2) He still lives at home in Wales with his parents Marlene and Kevin, and brother Josh.

3) Ramsey has made just 15 appearances for Cardiff, the first coming as a substitute in the last minute of the final home game of 2006/07 Championship season. Cardiff lost the game 1-0 to Hull.

4) He is currently the youngest player ever to appear for Cardiff City aged just 16 years and 124 days, beating John Toshack’s previous record.

5) Ramsey made his first professional start for Cardiff in their FA Cup Third Round tie at Chasetown on January 5, 2008. Ramsey scored the second goal in their 3-1 victory and was nominated for the Player Of The Round award (eventually won by Coventry’s Michael Mifsud).

6) The midfielder scored his first league goal for Cardiff in the 3-3 draw with Burnley on April 26, 2008.

7) Ramsey made his debut for the Welsh U21 side as a second-half substitute in the 4-3 victory over Sweden on August 21st, 2007. Previously he’d captained the national U17s.

8) He’s fluent in both English and Welsh, and his all-time Welsh hero is Ryan Giggs, so he’ll be in good company at Old Trafford.

9) Cardiff turned down a £1m offer from Everton earlier this season, and other clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle were rumoured to be monitoring his progress. Ramsey reportedly first came onto Sir Alex Ferguson’s radar after his impressive display in Cardiff’s 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat of Middlesboro.

10) Aaron Ramsey’s nickname at Cardiff is Rambo, after the Sylvester Stallone character of the same name. Premiership strikers be warned…

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Teenager Ramsey set for Arsenal
By Peter Shuttleworth

Aaron Ramsey is to join Arsenal from FA Cup finalists Cardiff City in a £5m cash deal, BBC Sport understands. Champions League winners Manchester United and Premier League giants Everton were also fighting to sign the 17-year-old Welsh wonderkid. But Ramsey has chosen Arsenal after the Gunners flew him out to Switzerland for face-to-face talks with boss Arsene Wenger, who is at Euro 2008. Unlike United, the Arsenal deal does not include a loan back option.

Cardiff have confirmed that Arsenal's bid for their highly-rated youth academy graduate was the "best cash offer" for the young star - a deal that breaks City's transfer fee received record Bluebirds chairman Peter Ridsdale told BBC Sport: "It is a very straight-forward, no strings attached £5m cash offer - simple.

"We felt that Manchester United equalled it because it included a loan back option."

Ramsey, who has made just 22 appearances for the Championship side, is expected to have a medical at Arsenal's plush Hertfordshire training ground within the next few days. The length of Ramsey's Arsenal contract has not yet been agreed.

A Cardiff City statement read: "Cardiff City were informed on Tuesday morning that Aaron Ramsey's preferred destination this summer is the Emirates Stadium with Arsenal. We will now continue the dialogue with the Gunners with a view to Aaron's move being completed. The move, unlike other options, does not include a loan back period at Ninian Park for the 2008/09 season. We would like to wish Aaron every success in the top-flight."

Ramsey, the most wanted player outside the Premier League, was given a welcome and a guided tour around Manchester United's state-of-the-art Carrington training complex by Old Trafford captain Gary Neville last Friday.

The promising Wales Under-21 international youngster also spoke to Sir Alex Ferguson on the telephone as initially Premier League champions United looked favourite to sign Ramsey. United even put a statement on their website on 3 June, announcing: "Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical."

Aaron Ramsey speaking at the end of May
Cardiff made no secret of the fact they wanted Ramsey to join United so to take advantage of the loan-back agreement. The Caerphilly-born playmaker met Everton boss David Moyes before being flown out on a private jet to Basel on Saturday to meet with Wenger, who has now beaten his old rival Ferguson to landing Ramsey.

But Ridsdale said: "We would have much preferred him to remain as a Cardiff City player or returned here on loan next season had he gone somewhere else. The only deal with a loan-back option was with Manchester United but ultimately it is up to the player to decide where he wants to go. In an ideal world I would have wished him to go to Manchester United were to he to leave us but we have to be careful as we have relationships with Arsenal and want to do business with them in the future."

Ramsey caught Arsenal's eye when the young midfielder shone in a goal-scoring display during Cardiff's FA Youth Cup quarter-final defeat to the Gunners in February 2007. He beat John Toshack's record to become Cardiff's youngest ever player at just 16 years and 124 days when Ramsey replaced Paul Parry in a 1-0 home defeat to Hull City in April 2007. The player known as 'Rambo' was included in Toshack's Wales squad for the first time this summer for their friendly double-header with Iceland and the Netherlands but Ramsey didn't play.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones has hailed Ramsey's versatility as the teenager has played in his favoured central midfield role, on each flank, at full-back and also in a free role behind the striker this season. Ramsey - hailed as "sensational" by Wales youth guru Brian Flynn - is one of a crop of promising Welsh youngsters tipped for the big-time.

Ramsey, his former Cardiff colleague Joe Ledley, Tottenham's Gareth Bale, Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey and West Ham midfielder Jack Collison have been earmarked as Wales' stars of the future by Wales boss Toshack. He is the latest off the Cardiff production line of players to move to the Premier League following Chris Gunter, Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Rob Earnshaw into the top league.

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Wenger hints at key Ramsey role

Arsenal Wenger has hinted that Wales Under-21 international Aaron Ramsey could play a key role in Arsenal's central midfield. Winger Ramsey, 17, who is set to make his debut against Barnet on Saturday, made the £5m switch to the Emirates from Cardiff last month. And with Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva leaving, there is a need for a midfielder.

"I think in the future he will be a central midfielder," said Wenger. "How is down to him and down to us on how well we work with him. In my mind though there are no restrictions on his development because he has played a lot already."

Wenger also told the club's official magazine, Arsenal, of his joy at capturing the Caerphilly-born youngster who attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs.

"We watched him throughout the whole season," said Wenger. "We were always on the case, but unfortunately we weren't the only ones because Liverpool, Man United and Everton were strongly behind the case. It was a big satisfaction for us that we were able to beat these teams to signing him."

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Talentvolle Ramsey langer bij Arsenal

Arsenal kan ook de komende jaren genieten van Aaron Ramsey. De achttienjarige middenvelder verlengde zijn verbintenis in Londen, meldt Arsenal op zijn website.

Ramsey, die vorige zomer weg werd gekaapt bij Cardiff City, maakte volgens Arsenal-trainer Arsène Wenger indruk in zijn eerste seizoen in het Emirates Stadium. "Hij heeft in zijn eerste seizoen een goede bijdrage geleverd bij ons en hij heeft laten zien een goede en intelligente speler te zijn."

De Franse manager is benieuwd naar de ontwikkeling van de jonge middenvelder. "Hij is pas achttien jaar en we zien uit naar zijn ontwikkeling in de komende jaren. We zijn in ieder geval blij dat hij hier nog jaren blijft", besloot de oefenmeester.

Ramsey kwam tot 22 wedstrijden in de Engelse Premier League afgelopen seizoen. Daarnaast trof hij eenmaal doel in de Champions League.