(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Newcastle have been considering a move for long-term target Jacob Ramsey.
Aston Villa have been looking to sell a player to help with their Financial Fair Play situation but have also been trying to offer Ramsey a new deal.
However, Villa do not actually want to sell Ramsey and have offered him a new contract.
The 24-year-old midfielder has two years left on his current deal and has been the subject of transfer speculation this summer.
Villa bosses want to protect the value of the player by offering him increased terms. Sky Sports News have been told there is no formal offer as of yet.
Villa have also had interest in the likes of Ollie Watkins and John McGinn but consider those players not for sale.
Ramsey remains a popular player at Aston Villa with the club’s supporters, the heir to Jack Grealish at one stage. Although foot injuries have hampered his development, Unai Emery has continued to value what he can bring to the team.
Even though he represents pure profit for Villa in PSR terms, Emery pushed to keep Ramsey at the club when Tottenham and Newcastle were interested in signing him in the January transfer window of 2024, highlighting his potential to get better and better.
“Jacob Ramsey is a very important player,” said Emery. “He grew up here in the academy and his progression is clearly getting better. His level is increasing a lot. He is a big potential player in Aston Villa, in England. I want to keep him here, 100 per cent.”
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Ramsey was 22 then but is 24 now and by the player’s own admission that progression has not been as impressive as hoped. The top-line numbers – one goal and five assists in the Premier League last season – were not eye-catching but the potential remains.
One statistic worth considering is that Ramsey ranked second only to Kevin De Bruyne in terms of his availability to pick the ball up between the lines.
The next two players on that particular list in last season’s Premier League were Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
It hints at Ramsey’s smart movement and his able to ghost into space, finding positions in the pocket from which his ball-carrying ability can shine. His output suggests that his team-mates did not find him enough and when they did he did not do enough with it.
But there is clearly plenty to work with. Eddie Howe and Newcastle are entitled to feel excited that this is a player coming into his peak years with the potential to blossom in the coming seasons. And there are many still at Villa Park who would agree with that.
Skysport
