Emery confident Ramsey will stay

Simon Collings in Singapore

Arsenal 1 Atletico Madrid 1

Arsenal head coach Unai Emery believes midfielder Aaron Ramsey will stay at the club.

The 27-year-old is currently into the final year of his contract and talks are ongoing about a new deal.

Arsenal want to tie Ramsey down to a long-term contract, but as of yet no agreement has been reached and the transfer window is due to shut on August 9 for Premier League clubs.

Emery views the Wales international as an important part of his squad and he hopes Ramsey is set to stay.

I want him to stay with us, to work with us, to give the team the big performances with his quality. I think he is going to stay here with us,” says Emery.

“I think Aaron is an important player. The contract is one thing for the club and the player.”

Ramsey completed just over an hour for Arsenal yesterday as they lost 3-1 to Atletico Madrid on penalties in their International Champions Cup clash in Singapore. The sides were level at 90 minutes after a brilliant strike from Arsenal teenager Emile Smith Rowe cancelled out Luicano Vietto’s opener for Atletico.

The shootout started in a nervy fashion as four of the first six penalties were missed, with only Atletico’s Rodri and Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal finding the net – both with deft chips down the middle.

Victor Mollejo then stepped up to fire Atletico in front and, after Arsenal sub Eddie Nketiah had his effort saved, it was substitute keeper Antonio Adan of all people who scored the decisive penalty.

Ramsey captained Arsenal in the match and it is the second time he has worn the armband in pre-season, after doing so against Borehamwood.

Emery is planning to have five captains in his squad and he believes Ramsey has the potential to be one of them.

“This is not yet official, this decision [on the captaincy],” said Emery.

I said to you I want five captains in the team, then the numbers we are going to give to them, the first, the second, third, four and five. But Aaron has the condition to be one of the captains.

As well as Ramsey, Arsenal are also sweating over the future of their chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, who is wanted by AC Milan.

Reports in Italy claim the 53-year-old is set for a new position at the San Siro, and Emery has confessed he is in the dark over the matter.

“I don’t know what he is going to do because I only speak with him on the Arsenal project.”

ARSENAL (4-4-3): Leno (’45 Cech); Bellerin (’62 Osei-Tutu), Mustafi (’62 Chambers), Holding (’62 Papastathopoulos), Kolasinac; Smith Rowe (’62 Mavropanos), Guendouzi (’75 Willock), Ramsey (’62 Maitland-Niles); Nelson (’62 Perez), Lacazette (’62 Nketiah), Aubameyang (’62 Mkhitaryan).

ATLETICO MADRID: Oblak (’45 Adan); Juanfran (’74 Carro), Moya (’74 Rodriguez), Montero (’74 Punal), Olabe (’74 Solano) Correa, Rodri, Partey (’74 Mollejo), Munoz (’64 Pinchi); Gameiro (’74 Isaac), Vietto (’74 Garces).

Attendance: 23,095