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Aaron Ramsey is the biggest name in Scotland since Roy Keane - Tom English

Aaron Ramsey signing for Rangers is the biggest name to play in Scotland since Roy Keane.



Journalist Tom English joined The Football Show on Tuesday night to discuss Aaron Ramsey, Celtic and Rangers.

The Scottish League has produced some outstanding players in recent years.

Jamie McGrath just left for Wigan ahead of his presumed rise through the English ranks. Odsonne Edouard is proving his worth at a higher level with Crystal Palace. And Virgil Van Dijk was a superstar in Scotland before he became a household name around the world at Liverpool.

It's rare that a big name player goes in the opposite direction. In search of game time, Aaron Ramsey has joined Rangers on loan from Juventus for the rest of the season.

Ramsey has been mostly anonymous to fans in this area of the world since he departed Arsenal. But he's still only 31 years of age and playing regularly for Wales. He will be one of the best players in the Scottish League, and Tom English believes he's the biggest name to play in Scotland for a very long time.

"He's certainly the most high profile in terms of those players coming into Scotland," English said.

"You're going back to Roy Keane and Robbie Keane coming in. That type. Massive. Huge [signing]. There were rumours last season that Rangers were interested in him. And people dismissed it as paper talk, tabloids getting excited, but clearly there was something in it because they've done the deal now."

Of course, Van Dijk is a bigger name than Ramsey, but he wasn't that when he was at Celtic.

The fact that this move is a loan deal suggests that it won't be a long-term stay. Ramsey commands too much money for Rangers to keep him surpassed this season. English explains how Rangers have kept their finances intact while still being able to attract such a high-profile player.

"Rangers say they haven't broken their wage structure, so Juventus are picking up the vast, vast majority of his salary. I don't know what Rangers are paying. I would imagine that their top whack weekly salary would be in the region of £30,000, so he's probably on something of that order.

"Juventus will be paying the rest.

"But it's a signing that has absolutely thrilled Rangers fans. He won't be playing [against Celtic] tomorrow night. He's not ready. But he's the type that they need, that creative midfielder, goalscorer, creator, glamorous. And you can say it's short-termism til the end of the season, but you go back to that probable automatic spot in the Champions League.

"Both of these teams will do whatever they can to win the league and claim that spot."

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Aaron Ramsey Celtic Juventus Rangers Scottish League