Arsenal are among the clubs monitoring Jacobo Ramon, the 21-year-old Spanish centre-back who has quietly become one of the most impressive defenders in Serie A this season under Cesc Fabregas at Como, and the Gunners face competition from Chelsea and Real Madrid if they want to make a move this summer.
With Ben White’s injury situation unresolved and the club’s need for long-term defensive reinforcement obvious to anyone who has watched this season closely, the interest in Ramon makes complete sense. He is 21, he plays in a high-pressing, technically demanding system, he has started 35 games for a Como side that have just qualified for European football for the first time in their history, and he has not looked out of place for a single minute of it. This is exactly the profile Arsenal should be targeting.
The report comes from Sports Boom, who claim both Arsenal and Chelsea are tracking the defender, with Real Madrid also retaining a stake in his future through a buyback clause included in last summer’s deal. Como will want around £45 million to sell. Given what he has shown this season, that looks like a number worth paying.
Why Jacobo Ramon suits what Arteta wants from a centre-back
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Fabregas has built Como in the image of a possession-obsessed, high-line system that makes enormous demands on the defenders operating within it. Ramon has not just coped, he has thrived. His ability to read danger early, step out of the backline to press and distribute the ball under pressure are qualities that translate directly into what Mikel Arteta asks of his centre-backs. William Saliba has a long-term partner to be found, and the sooner Arsenal start that search properly, the better.
There is also the age profile to consider. At 21, Ramon is entering the years where his development will accelerate most rapidly. Signing him now, giving him a season or two alongside Saliba in an Arsenal side chasing major trophies, could turn him into one of the best defenders in Europe. The foundations are already there.
The Real Madrid clause that complicates Jacobo Ramon’s Arsenal transfer
Here is the frustrating part. When Real Madrid sold Ramon to Como last summer, they were smart enough to protect themselves. They included a buyback clause worth less than £7 million and a 50% sell-on clause in the deal, meaning that if Como sell Ramon to Arsenal or anyone else, Real Madrid receive half of the profit above the original fee. That structure forces Como to set his price significantly higher than they might otherwise, hence the £45 million figure reported by Sports Boom.
Real Madrid also retain the option to exercise that buyback themselves at any point, which adds another layer of complication. If Arsenal move slowly, they risk Madrid stepping in and taking him back to the Bernabeu for a fraction of what it would cost anyone else to sign him. That is not a scenario Arsenal can afford to let play out.
Chelsea’s interest should make Arsenal move faster on Jacobo Ramon
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The involvement of Chelsea is the detail that should sharpen focus at London Colney. The Blues have deep pockets and a track record of moving quickly when they identify a young defensive target. They will offer Champions League football next season if they finish in the top four. Arsenal will too, and they can offer something Chelsea cannot: the chance to be part of a squad that is already genuinely competing for the biggest prizes in European football rather than rebuilding towards them.
Ramon trained under Fabregas, who was one of Arteta’s closest teammates during his time at Arsenal. That connection is thin but real, and if there is any persuasion to be done about which project is more exciting, the Arsenal manager is better placed than most to make that case. Get it done before Chelsea do.
Related Items:Cesc Fabregas, Como 1907, Jacobo Ramon, Latest Mikel Arteta News | Transfer News | Injury News and Update
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