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Is selling Jacob Ramsey the problem it once was at Aston Villa?
Is selling Jacob Ramsey the problem it once was at Aston Villa?

New York Times

time5 days ago

  • Sport
  • New York Times

Is selling Jacob Ramsey the problem it once was at Aston Villa?

Jacob Ramsey strode out with the captain's armband on. He was 24 at the end of last season but it felt only natural, bearing in mind he was Aston Villa's longest-serving first-team player on the pitch. Admittedly, he, like every other outfield team-mate, played 45 minutes in what was a low-quality, low-intensity opening pre-season defeat, 1-0, against neighbours Walsall. Advertisement Still, it represented something more telling. Ramsey is no longer just the young local lad, born five miles outside Villa Park. He should, with 167 appearances in the bank, be considered essential to Unai Emery's project. His talent — even if some academy coaches thought his brother Aaron, now at Burnley, could have been the better of the two growing up — certainly deserves to be. Yet a different, nagging feeling persists. Villa's best academy graduate in the last half a decade led a hodgepodge side out on Wednesday evening. Quite plausibly, three-quarters of those who featured could be loaned or sold by the end of the summer. Behind Ramsey was Alex Moreno, returning from a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest and who Villa want to move on. Ahead of Ramsey was Louie Barry, in advanced discussions to join Sheffield United. Leading us out 🫡 — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) July 16, 2025 Ramsey is one of those trapped in an uneasy, unresolved position. The day before Villa made their yearly excursion to Walsall, The Athletic had reported Nottingham Forest's interest. They, along with a handful of other clubs, are monitoring his situation, which has been cast in doubt for the past 18 months, since his injury toils began to spiral. In January 2024, Newcastle United held dialogue over a £50million ($67m) offer. They joined Tottenham Hotspur in their long-term admiration, while Bayern Munich showed interest. Villa were reluctant to sell. They preferred to push Douglas Luiz out the door a few months later instead of players such as Ramsey, helping to alleviate profit and sustainability fears before the end of the financial year. Back then, selling a born and bred Villan seemed unthinkable and, by no means hyperbole, provoked existential questions from supporters about the academy. What was its purpose if one of England's most prodigious talents had to leave for a direct competitor? Advertisement The strength of feeling has lessened since, as has the vehement denial of Ramsey leaving — owing to how long it has been since supporters and coaches have seen him in full-flowing action. People have forgotten those days or think they are in the rearview mirror. The sense is that all parties are amenable to the idea of a departure, and there is credence to that. Across 2023 and 2024, Ramsey missed a total of 270 days through injury, with a broken metatarsal sustained playing for England Under-21s in the 2023 European Championship triggering the start of such bad luck. In that period, Villa demonstrated they could live without him and found an alternative in the left No 10 role: Morgan Rogers. 'If you compare our two careers, the past 12 months he (Rogers) has been flying,' said Ramsey, speaking in a pre-match press conference in January. 'He's a top player. When you look at my last 12 months, I've probably gone downhill.' Emery and Villa were patient, believing in his ability, but recurring injury setbacks have stifled development. Bone and muscle injuries have made returning to form delicate, given the midfielder's best strengths relate to powerful forward running and carries, which are often explosive and testing physically. Though the greater concerns may have stemmed this calendar year, with Ramsey fully fit throughout and on his longest run of availability since Emery arrived in November 2022. He played 29 Premier League games last season and registered one goal and five assists. Despite it being his longest uninterrupted run of minutes for some time, he still looked shorn of rhythm. A player of his talent ceiling and experience should be putting up greater goal numbers. They instead indicate that Ramsey garnishes matches rather than produces game-changing, high-impact moments consistently. Advertisement Villa still believe in Ramsey — as do other figures in football. England manager Thomas Tuchel namechecked him as a player close to earning a call-up this year, despite clearly not being back to his best. For Ramsey, there is no rush to move and a will that he can, provided he stays at Villa, recapture what made him such fun to watch. Ramsey has two years left on his contract and if he stays this summer, an extension will not be out of the question. Until then, Villa will ask for a considerable fee for Ramsey, in a similar ballpark to the £42.5m they sold Douglas Luiz to Juventus for. Ultimately, though, the sense of outrage to even countenance an offer is no longer there. Ramsey's salary is manageable, so a sale would not make a huge dent on Villa's necessity to reduce their wage bill below UEFA's 70 per cent wage-to-turnover limit. Moreover, he qualifies as a 'club-trained' player, critical for Villa's Europa League squad planning. There is a lot of goodwill left from Emery and supporters. A local lad done good gives Ramsey an emotional connection. Plus, an optimal Ramsey belongs in Emery's first-choice team. The 24-year-old went away with Rogers over the summer. They relaxed but completed running and gym sessions before Ramsey left to undertake a more football-focused camp. He knows this season's importance. Whether that is at Villa or not will be determined by other clubs' interest turning into an offer which convinces his boyhood team to sell.

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