Arsenal close in on Aaron Ramsey contract extension with Lucas Torreira deal on brink of completion
New Gunners boss Unai Emery wants to build side around Welshman with Torreira partnering him in midfield
Arsenal are nearing a new long-term deal for Aaron Ramsey, with the signing of his incoming midfield partner Lucas Torreira set to be announced imminently.
Ramsey, 27, has just a year left to run on his current contract but is said to be keen to work with new Gunners boss Unai Emery, who sees the Welshman as the team's key player.
With Jack Wilshere departing the club when his deal expires in June, Ramsey will be among the first names on the teamsheet, likely alongside £26million Sampdoria man Torreira.
The Uruguayan is set to become Arsenal's third signing of the summer after Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno, with Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos not far behind.
The deal for Ramsey is reportedly five years according to the , following on from long-term contracts signed by fellow midfielders Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles this summer.
Torreira could line up in a central midfield trio alongside Xhaka and Ramsey in a new-look Arsenal side, although that could mean one of Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Alexandre Lacazette missing out.
One player certain of his spot in the team is club-record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who signed in a £56m deal from Dortmund in January.
Aubameyang, is thought to be one of two players, Ramsey being the other, who Emery sees as indispensable.
Arsenal finished outside the Champions League places for a second consecutive season in 2017/18, leading to Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign coming to an end.
Emery is keen to bring them back to Europe's top tier as soon as possible, with the raft of new deals and incomings already putting his mark on the club.
Speaking to fans on Wednesday night, Emery outlined his intentions to play an attacking style, saying: "I prefer to win 5-4 than 1-0 because football is about emotion and what is the best feeling in football? When you score."
Chief executive Ivan Gazidis heralded a new era for the club with a first managerial appointment since 1996.
He said: "We really have a collective effort now, in terms of how we identify players and then how we take forward our interest, and of course Unai is a huge part of that.
"This is now a different way of doing things, one with a very, very accomplished team of professionals who we have spent time bedding into the club."
