Joe Ledley reckons Aaron Ramsey should still be starring for Juventus.
But the Welshman says Rangers are set to get serious benefit from his disrespected mate being frozen-out by an Old Lady.
Ledley can’t understand why Ramsey wasn’t involved in Turin.
The Italian giants are languishing in fifth spot in the Serie A table, yet his countrymen had been consigned to just six minutes of first-team action since last September.
It didn’t make sense to Ledley, especially as he witnessed his old team-mate maintain his rampaging and talismanic form for Wales.
Three outings against Czech Republic, Estonia and Belarus in October and November yielded outstanding performances and three goals.
As a former Celtic hero, Ledley would rather his talented buddy had chosen a different destination to get back playing.
But that can’t change his opinion on Ramsey as a world-class talent and or the notion he could become an icon across the city at Ibrox.
Ledley said: “I still firmly believe that Aaron should be playing in that Juventus team.
“I have seen them a few times and feel that he would put a lot of improvement into that side.
“What has happened behind the scenes or if it's anything, I don’t know about it. He hasn’t told me about that.
“I just know he needed to go out and play football. I spoke to him a few weeks ago and was looking at trying to move in order to get regular football.
“He needs to be playing because he is one of the greatest Welsh midfielders that we have ever had.
“When I spoke to him, I said that, if he was go out, it had to be the right club for him.”
Ledley was bewildered when he picked up his phone on Monday morning to find a host of messages regarding Rangers and Ramsey.
Having just got back from a trip to Glasgow and Celtic Park last weekend, he explained: “I went onto my social media and there were people on there saying tell him not to go and I’m thinking: What is everyone on about?
“Then I had a look for myself and saw that he was being linked with a move to Rangers.
“I worked with him at Cardiff during our time there and obviously the Wales team.
“He is top class and, in my opinion, he’s a little bit disrespected in the game.
“I cover a lot of the Wales games and, in the last two without Gareth Bale in the team, Aaron was just unbelievable.
“He hadn’t even been playing regular football at the time and he was still box-to-box. He scored in the matches and he was up and down the pitch.
“His workrate for the team, creating chances and he just never stops.”
Ramsey’s decision to move to the Scottish Premiership is a stunning move by Ibrox chiefs.
Ledley says the ambitions of his old Wales and Cardiff colleague to get out of Italy and start a new adventure speaks volumes for his desire.
At the age of 31, Ramsey has achieved much in the game during his spell in the English Premier League with Arsenal before going to Juventus.
The midfielder has 71 caps and a desire to stay in shape with a potential World Cup appearance at Qatar 2022 seems a pull.
Ledley said: “People can go the other way in their careers in his situation.
“Once he gets that big move to Juventus, he could just have sat there happily.
“But that’s not him. He wants to be out there and playing football and working to better his career.
“He’s coming to the latter stages of his career now. He’s in his 30s and I’m sure he just wants to get out onto the pitch as much as possible.”
Rangers fans will greet Ramsey as a hero as he checks into Ibrox and into the suffocating environment of the Scottish game.
Ledley has been there and experienced it himself during a successful spell at Celtic.
Although he says Ramsey’s eyes will be opened by Glasgow, he has no question he’ll handle himself on and off the pitch due to vast experience and a down-to-earth character.
He said: “I’m sure Aaron may not have seen anything like Glasgow with Celtic and Rangers and how much the clubs mean to their fans.
“At Juventus, they are passionate and there is a lot of atmosphere, but Glasgow is even different from that.
“I’m sure he’ll be used to it and, as long as he has that freedom to play, he’ll be one of the best players in Scotland.
“That’s the belief I have in his ability and the other thing about Aaron is that he is just such a humble guy.
“He is so down to earth and I’m sure he will enjoy his time.”
Ramsey looks tailor-made for Rangers with his attacking instincts and work ethic.
In addition, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s outstanding career gives him the knowledge to handle big-name players.
Ledley said: “I’m sure that Aaron will have respect from managers and coaches as well as players and fans for what he has achieved and his talent.
“He’s a fantastic footballer and he still has a lot to offer.”
