Unai Emery will soon begin his search for a replacement for Arsenal’s longest-serving player – Aaron Ramsey.

The Welshman has been a mainstay in the Arsenal first-team since joining from Cardiff City back in 2012. Ramsey was expected to put pen to paper and extend his stay at the Emirates with his contract due to expire at the end of the season. However, Emery is unwilling to meet the midfielder’s demands, and he is expected to leave on a free next summer.

Ramsey will attract plenty of interest from clubs in the Premier League and abroad – the Gunners would be wise to sell the midfielder to save them losing him for nothing. The 27-year-old would still hold some market value in January, and the money could be used to fund his replacement.

One man who would be a worthy successor is Atletico Madrid dynamo – Rodri. Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, the Spaniard is a new addition to Diego Simeone’s side having joined from Villarreal in the summer for around £18m. The defensive midfielder has already become an integral part of the team, making 14 appearances in La Liga this season.

The 22-year-old has all the attributes to be a massive success in the Premier League and would be the perfect partner for Lucas Torreira in the Arsenal engine room. The Spain international would add even more steel to the midfield, averaging an impressive 2.9 tackles per game this season. Rodri also has the ability to dictate the tempo of games retaining a 91% pass completion record in the Spanish league so far (WhoScored).

The youngster is quickly developing into one of the finest midfielders in the world and Emery should do all he can to lure him to the Emirates.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?