Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has been linked with a move to Real Madrid to link up with fellow Welshman Gareth Bale. According to the Sun, Madrid are considering a £25 million bid for Ramsey, hoping his failure to lock down a place in Arsenal's central midfield after coming back from injury will help convince him to move to La Liga.
Putting aside the minor detail of Madrid currently being under a transfer ban until 2018 (which is still being appealed), such a deal would make a certain amount of sense. Most notably because Ramsey doesn't have a natural place in Arsenal's lineup as long as Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla are playing in the two spots that suit the 25-year-old best.
But Zinedine Zidane isn't exactly short of midfield options either, and it's far from certain Ramsey would find it easier to get a starting role at the Bernabeu.
With that in mind, we look at whether Ramsey could fit in at Madrid and if a transfer could happen.
Where would he play?
It's no secret that Ramsey prefers playing in a free role in central midfield, and showed at Euro 2016 just how good he can be when given that freedom -- especially when he has Bale to combine with. He would have even more outlets in Madrid's attack-minded lineup, with Zidane usually fielding a front three of Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
That leaves three midfield spots to fight over, with Toni Kroos occupying one. Luca Modric has also been a regular starter when fit, with Isco, Mateo Kovacic, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio among the other options.
The speculation is that Modric and James could both be leaving the club next summer, which would open up a space for Ramsey. But that still leaves two top-class attacking midfielders in Kroos and Isco, and Zidane may be better off inserting a more defence-minded player to give his side some balance.
Why would he go?
So, given that a regular place in the XI is hardly a guarantee, why would Ramsey move? Well, it is Real Madrid, after all. That means more money and probably more trophies, so a serious offer would be hard to turn down. With a chance to create an all-Wales duo with Bale and having Ronaldo to pick out with his passes, it's easy to see why the scenario would be attractive enough to lure Ramsey away from the Emirates.
Would Arsenal sell?
Arsene Wenger remains a big fan of Ramsey -- to the point where he often elects to shoehorn the Welshman into the side on the right flank instead of fielding a natural winger. So he would definitely be reluctant to let the midfielder go, having recruited him from Cardiff eight years ago as a 17-year-old.
But if the Gunners convince Ozil to sign a new contract and give Cazorla an extension as well, Ramsey could well be tempted to force a move. Arsenal are reportedly still paying instalments to Madrid on the £42.4m fee for Ozil, which could also make any deal easier to negotiate. But the two clubs have not been able to finalise a deal since that 2013 transfer, with talks over Benzema, Gonzalo Higuain and Alvaro Morata all breaking down. And perhaps that would make Wenger even less willing to sell.