Nice say they expect Aaron Ramsey to return to the club for pre-season training next week amid uncertainty over the Wales captain's next move.
Ramsey's contract at Nice expired last month but it is understood he played enough games to trigger an extension clause. There has been no announcement or confirmation, however, to suggest the relevant parties have agreed to him staying on with the Ligue 1 club after Ramsey failed to agree a long-term deal.
WalesOnline has sought clarity over Ramsey's contract situation, but in the meantime Nice have confirmed in a statement on their website he is due to report for their third week of pre-season training.
The Bluebirds, however, remain hopeful they can get a deal with Ramsey over the line as they continue their exciting rebuild under new boss Erol Bulut.
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"The rest of the players who were involved in international matches over the summer: Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark), Aaron Ramsey (Wales), Khephren Thuram (France U21s) and Ayoub Amraoui (Morocco U21s) will join up with the squad next week," Nice wrote.
We understand talks have been held with Ramsey regarding a potential return to his boyhood club, Cardiff, but the player is yet to announce where his future lies next season and beyond.
While on Wales duty last month, he admitted that his next move would be centred around bringing his family unit back together before later admitting he would "love" to play for the Bluebirds again "one day".
Of course, Ramsey being asked to report for pre-season will prompt a reaction from City supporters who are desperate to see the 32-year-old return to the place which launched his incredibly successful career. However, it is likely that Nice have included his name in the press release as a matter of protocol given, at time of writing, nothing concrete has been decided either way.
"This season has been a success for me personally, I played a lot of games and some good football. The only thing missing was a few goals, but that will come again," Ramsey said last month of his season in Nice, in which he played 34 games and scored once.
"The most challenging thing is being away from my family. That's the situation I find myself in. But other than that, there are lot of positives I have taken. So, we'll see.
"I've been away from my family and seeing the kids growing up, missing out, it's always difficult. Difficult for anyone to go through, I imagine. Whatever we do going forward, we will be reunited and back together."
