'I snubbed Man Utd and signed for Arsenal – this is how Alex Ferguson reacted'
Yesterday at 08:03 AM
Aaron Ramsey insists he made the right decision to join Arsenal after delivering one of the most brutal transfer snubs Sir Alex Ferguson ever received.
By the time he had taken the decision to leave boyhood club Cardiff, Ramsey was already regarded as one of the most talented youngsters in British football.
A clutch of Premier League sides were vying for his signature in the summer of 2008 with United, Arsenal and Everton the frontrunners.
The lure of Ferguson appeared to have proven decisive with the Red Devils so confident of completing a deal that an article was posted on the club’s official website.
United officials were forced to swiftly remove it, however, after Arsene Wenger intervened and snatched Ramsey from the clutches of his old rival.
‘It was a mad time for me as a 17-year-old,’ recalled Ramsey, speaking to Optus Sport. ‘I had voice mails left on my phone by Sir Alex Ferguson, turning up to David Moyes’ house then flying off on a private jet to meet Arsene Wenger while he was working at the Euros at the time.
‘It was all a bit of a whirlwind for a 17-year-old boy from Cardiff, it was a surreal time for me but one I was itching to do and make the next step and playing for Wales.
‘It might’ve been the first Motorola phone. It was strange because I didn’t quite believe it was happening.
‘When I told him that I wasn’t going to be signing for Man United I don’t think he was best pleased then. I definitely made the right choice in signing for Arsenal.’
Ramsey, ultimately spent 11 years in north London and is best remembered for being part of the team that ended a nine-year wait for a trophy, scoring the winning goal in the 2014 FA Cup final against Hull.
The former Wales international also featured prominently in the team that crushed Aston Villa at Wembley a year later and also scored the decisive goal in the 2017 win over Chelsea.
‘They were massive,’ said Ramsey of his three FA Cup triumphs. ‘Obviously going all that time without winning anything these sorts of things were being echoed around the place for years.
‘For us to finally put that to bed and win a bit of silverware was massively important for us.
‘It was a difficult time for us because there was the stadium to pay off and for us and what Arsene Wenger did to keep producing Champions League football and getting FA Cup wins was unbelievable in the circumstances.
‘Yeah what he did at that club and what happened in the Emirates era was remarkable. People do appreciate that now, at the time it’s quite raw and people do tend to react a little bit more.’
