Aaron Ramsey reveals 'surprise' over Pumas ripping up his Liga MX contract amid missing dog ordeal as ex-Arsenal star left with 'no choice' but to return to Wales

Ramsey, who has struggled to steer clear of injury over the course of his career, picked up a hamstring complaint prior to seeing his dog Halo disappear - in what his family called a “haunting” experience.

Personal problems made life difficult for Ramsey in Mexico, but he was tied to a one-year deal through to the summer of 2026. It was reported following his decision to head back to his homeland that said terms had been terminated by mutual consent.

Ramsey has now confirmed that his deal was torn up, leaving him with “no choice” but to settle again in Wales. The 34-year-old maintains that, despite his issues on and off the field, his release came as a shock to the system.

He has posted on Instagram: “I would like to thank the Mexican people for their kindness and generosity and making me and my family feel so welcome in Mexico City. I also want to give a big thanks to the manager, the coaching staff and particularly the medical staff for helping me through what was a difficult time with injuries.

“However with their help and a lot of hard work I was ready and match fit for the remaining games and I was looking forward to giving my best to the Pumas. Unfortunately my contract was terminated which was a surprise and obviously disappointing. Therefore I had no choice but to come home to Wales. Thank you again for all the support through the time we spent in Mexico. It’s a beautiful place and we will definitely come back to visit soon.”

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Ramsey took in a brief stint as player-manager of Cardiff at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. He had returned to his roots after spending time in Italy with Serie A giants Juventus and France with Nice.

Eyebrows were raised when he headed to Mexico in July. A matter of months after that move was made, his pet beagle - who was last seen in San Miguel de Allende, in the Guanajuato region - went missing.

Ramsey offered a $20,000 (£15,000) reward to anyone that could help to track down the hound, with Halo’s disappearance from a shelter causing confusion and anger. Ramsey has posted: “We've remained quiet trying to understand how you can leave your dog on a ranch and never see her again. Without any explanation? The cameras weren't recording, a tracker couldn't find her, no sightings, no body, and a pile of lies.”

Pumas boss Efrain Juarez said when asked about Ramsey’s situation: “We’re monitoring it. I said it on Wednesday - let’s see what happens in the coming days. He’s dealing with his situation, which we all know about, involving his dog. Also, there was an issue before he left during the FIFA break. So, we’ll have to wait and see what happens in the next few days.”

It has now been revealed that Ramsey will not be heading back to Mexico City, with a forgettable and distressing saga being brought to a close. His last appearance for Pumas came in a 4-1 defeat to America at the end of September.

An injury picked up at that time prevented him from joining up with the Wales squad and making more appearances at club level. He is now a free agent again and on the look out for another contract.

Ramsey, who is captain of his country, has earned 86 caps for Wales. He helped them to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and will be hoping to grace next summer’s World Cup finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico - with Craig Bellamy’s side preparing for a play-off semi-final clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina in March.