Cardiff City have rejected an offer from Liverpool for Aaron Ramsey, the 17-year-old midfielder who is also on Manchester United's radar. It is understood that the offer, believed to be worth close to £5m, were turned down because Cardiff are seeking a more substantial sum up front, with the Championship club reluctant to agree a deal in which the bulk of the fee is linked closely to the teenager's development.
Liverpool are expected to return with an improved offer but there is likely to be competition from a number of other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
United are also continuing to monitor the situation, although the lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford, and at Arsenal and Liverpool for that matter, is likely to be uppermost in Ramsey's mind when he makes a decision.
John Toshack, the Wales manager, voiced similar concerns this week when he spoke about the number of promising teenagers who have moved to Premier League clubs and struggled to fulfil their potential because of the quality of players in front of them. One solution would be for Ramsey to spend a season on loan at a Championship club, an agreement which could see him return to Ninian Park in August. There is certainly little chance of him starting next season as Cardiff's property, and the Welsh club are resigned to losing their biggest asset.
Ever since Ramsey made his debut in April last year interest in the Caerphilly-born midfielder has snowballed. Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has spoken to his Cardiff counterpart, Dave Jones, about Ramsey, and Harry Redknapp was hugely impressed with the teenager's performance in the FA Cup semi-final against Barnsley last month. Ramsey then came on as a substitute in the Cup final against Redknapp's Portsmouth at Wembley this month.
Ramsey has two years remaining on his Cardiff contract but such is the sense of inevitability surrounding his departure that there has been no talk of extending his deal.
His progress at Ninian Park - he made 21 appearances for Cardiff last season - has been recognised at international level, with Toshack calling him into the Wales squad for this week's friendlies in Iceland and Holland.
Liverpool are expected to return with an improved offer but there is likely to be competition from a number of other Premier League clubs, including Everton, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
United are also continuing to monitor the situation, although the lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford, and at Arsenal and Liverpool for that matter, is likely to be uppermost in Ramsey's mind when he makes a decision.
John Toshack, the Wales manager, voiced similar concerns this week when he spoke about the number of promising teenagers who have moved to Premier League clubs and struggled to fulfil their potential because of the quality of players in front of them. One solution would be for Ramsey to spend a season on loan at a Championship club, an agreement which could see him return to Ninian Park in August. There is certainly little chance of him starting next season as Cardiff's property, and the Welsh club are resigned to losing their biggest asset.
Ever since Ramsey made his debut in April last year interest in the Caerphilly-born midfielder has snowballed. Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has spoken to his Cardiff counterpart, Dave Jones, about Ramsey, and Harry Redknapp was hugely impressed with the teenager's performance in the FA Cup semi-final against Barnsley last month. Ramsey then came on as a substitute in the Cup final against Redknapp's Portsmouth at Wembley this month.
Ramsey has two years remaining on his Cardiff contract but such is the sense of inevitability surrounding his departure that there has been no talk of extending his deal.
His progress at Ninian Park - he made 21 appearances for Cardiff last season - has been recognised at international level, with Toshack calling him into the Wales squad for this week's friendlies in Iceland and Holland.
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