Aaron Ramsey is the key to Arsenal’s summer planning, with new head coach Unai Emery hoping to commit a significant part of his budget to making the Wales midfielder one of the pillars of his new team.

While Arsenal are still working on deals to add needed experience and reinforcement to their defence in Juventus right-back Stephan Lichsteiner and Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos, their wider strategy will be largely framed by the Ramsey negotiations.

Arsenal’s transfer spending this summer is limited and, while major funds could be raised by selling Ramsey, the clear preference is for him to commit what should be the prime years of his career to the club.

Arsenal have already offered Ramsey a significant pay-rise on his current deal of just over £100,000-a-week but, in the current market, he could realistically expect a contract approaching £200,000-a-week.

That would amount to a commitment from Arsenal of around £50 million until 2023 and further increase a wage bill that has already risen hugely this year following bumper contracts for Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.