Aaron Ramsey: 'I wanted him to join Manchester United' - ex-Cardiff City boss Dave Jones
- Published
Dave Jones consoles Aaron Ramsey after defeat to Portsmouth in the 2008 FA Cup final
Former boss Dave Jones says the return of Aaron Ramsey will be a "scoop" for Cardiff City - 15 years after the midfielder missed out on a loan move to the Bluebirds because he said no to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Wales captain Ramsey, 32, is poised to rejoin Cardiff on a free transfer.
Jones says he would have returned to the club on loan in 2008 had he not turned down the chance to sign for Manchester United.
"We lost him to Arsenal," Jones said.
"I don't think he completed 20 games for us before Arsenal and Manchester United kept calling for him.
"As a personal preference I wanted him to go to Manchester United because Sir Alex was going to let me have him back [on loan].
"But I knew if he went to Arsenal, Arsene Wenger would play him."
Ramsey came through the ranks at Cardiff, becoming the youngest player to represent the Bluebirds - aged 16 years and 124 days - when he came on in a Championship game against Hull City in April 2007.
He had made only 22 first-team appearances, including just 11 league starts, by the time United, Arsenal and Everton competed for his signature in the summer of 2008.
The Red Devils announced they had agreed a fee with Cardiff for Ramsey, but he ended up joining the Gunners after meeting Arsene Wenger.
Ramsey spent 11 years at the Emirates, making more than 250 appearances and winning the FA Cup three times before moving to Juventus in 2019.
He then had a loan spell at Rangers before joining French club Nice, where he scored once in 34 appearances last season.
The 82-cap player, who was appointed Wales captain for the second time in March, has completed a medical at Cardiff and will sign once his exit from Nice is confirmed, despite reported interest from Saudi Arabia.
"It's a great move for Cardiff - it's a scoop really to pick up such a good player," added Jones, who was the Welsh club's manager between 2005 and 2011.
"He is a good age as long as he can keep himself fit. I think most players in their career will go through a spell where you have your ups and downs.
"When you look at Arsenal, Juventus and Nice, he has got a good CV.
"A lot of people will say he can still play at the highest level and I think he could. But it's better for Cardiff [that he goes there] and he must think it's better for himself to go there."
Aaron Ramsey scores for Cardiff City at Chasetown in 2008 FA Cup third round
Jones gave Ramsey three substitute appearances before handing him a full debut in an FA Cup tie against non-league Chasetown in January 2008.
"We knew Aaron had the ability," he recalled.
"The only thing we had to wait for probably was his body strength to grow.
"I remember speaking to his parents because we took him out of youth football and he just trained with the first team.
"The likes of Jimmy Floyd [Hasselbaink], Robbie Fowler and Trevor Sinclair, all these [fellow Cardiff] players, they were saying what a good player he was.
"He never looked out of place and it was just about the timing. Personally I think we all got it right - the staff - when we played him against Chasetown. It was a good game to play in, he scored, and from there he never really looked back."