Arsenal have splurged £600m since Aaron Ramsey debut.. but have they improved the team in 11 years?
OVER 40 new signings and around £600million spent since joining Arsenal, much has changed since Aaron Ramsey left boyhood club Cardiff for the Gunners.
Almost 11 years have passed since Arsene Wenger landed the 17-year-old Welshman for a bargain £5million fee and gave him his debut against FC Twente.
That featured the likes of Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor – but also Johan Djourou.
Arsenal’s investment in Ramsey’s era has returned just three pieces of silverware – the FA Cup – in which the Welshman played a huge part.
As SunSport exclusively revealed that Rambo has played his final game for Arsenal ahead of his Juventus move, we delve into the archives to compare his debut to the current crop of stars.
Two months after his move was complete, Ramsey would make his first competitive appearance in a Champions League qualifying clash against Steve McClaren’s Twente.
AARON RAMSEY HAS PLAYED HIS LAST GAME FOR ARSENAL
In Cesc Fabregas’ absence, Rambo lined up alongside fellow youngster Denilson in midfield with Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Eboue at wing back.
Theo Walcott, Adebayor and Van Persie added the firepower while Bacary Sagna, William Gallas and Djourou formed a back three in front of Manuel Almunia in goal.
Their bench included rising star Jack Wilshere, Nicklas Bendtner and Alex Song.
Ramsey would go onto make 22 appearances in his debut season but it soon became clear the purse-strings would be tightened following the move into the Emirates Stadium.
In the following campaign Thomas Vermaelen would be the only major signing while a year later saw the successful arrival of Laurent Koscielny and less so, Sebastien Squillaci.
Wenger then raised eyebrows by forking out on Mesut Ozil for £42.5m – who they are struggling to flog today – and Alexis Sanchez in a £33m move from Barcelona.
Other players arrived and left without little fanfare, including defender Gabriel Paulista, Mathieu Debuchy and Andre Santos.
But a testament to Ramsey’s ability and loyalty, he stuck around and was finally rewarded when he scored the winner in the 2014 FA Cup final to end the Gunners’ nine-year trophy drought.
He then did exactly the same three years later when his goal ensured a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.
Other Arsenal highlights include his remarkable volley against Galatasaray in the Champions League and his first career hat-trick against Everton last year.
A new manager and 43 new signings later, Ramsey lined up in his final game for Arsenal in a Europa League tie with Napoli.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have shown glimpses of a prolific partnership in attack but neither can compare to Van Persie’s ability in front of goal.
The Dutchman bagged 30 league goals during his final season for Arsenal before controversially moving to Manchester United in 2012.
most read in football
In goal Cech pips Almunia despite coming towards the tail end of his career.
But there is little to pick between the two defences with both Sagna and Sokratis playing in unfamiliar positions.
Lucas Torreira enjoyed a relatively successful start to his Arsenal career while Denilson spent seven years in North London before his move back to Sao Paulo.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has shown promise in his breakthrough season and certainly has the potential to become a greater success than Eboue.
Ramsey has been a constant figure in changing times for the Gunners.
But when you look at the quality of the two line-ups, that £600m in 11 years doesn’t seem to have got Arsenal much.