Aston Villa offer midfielder new contract amid Nottingham Forest and West Ham links
Aston Villa have offered Jacob Ramsey a new contract amid transfer interest from a host of Premier League rivals, Birmingham World understands.
Unai Emery is eager to increase Ramsey’s contract length as the 24-year-old has recently entered the final two years of his current deal. Regardless of whether the midfielder is kept or sold, it’s important he signs on new terms as otherwise his value – both on and off the pitch – will depreciate.
Jacob Ramsey offer submitted
Emery is a big admirer of Ramsey and hopes the Villa academy product can eventually become a key player. There’s a recognition that selling Ramsey at some stage could help the club’s PSR situation, though, so there’s a transfer away is a possibility if the right offer were to arrive.
Ramsey has recently attracted interest from Nottingham Forest and West Ham United. Reports have suggested that the two English top-flight clubs have both made the former England Under-21 international a top target this summer. Villa would be able to generate pure profit if they were to sell their number 41 but no recent offers have been received.
Forest may have moved on, anyway, as Fabrizio Romano reports that Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee is on his way to the City Ground in a deal worth around £20 million. West Ham have not made a move to sign an alternative target at this stage.
Since making his senior debut for Villa in February 2019, in a Championship clash with local rivals West Bromwich Albion, Ramsey has scored 17 goals and provided 19 assists in 167 matches. The boyhood Villan has made just seven appearances for any other club in his career, on loan at Doncaster Rovers during the 2019/20 campaign.
Villa have already secured two key players’ futures
As well as moving to tie down Ramsey’s future, Villa have already secured two important first-team players for the long term. Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne have both signed contract extensions, announced by the club in recent weeks. There may not have been much transfer business in that time, but Kamara and Digne signing on has softened the blow.
One of Emery’s priorities this summer was to get Kamara on a new deal with a pay rise to reflect his importance. The defensive midfielder had entered the final two years of his contract, so it was also important to reduce the risk of him leaving for free. The 25-year-old is now tied down until June 2030.
Fellow France international Digne was also snapped up for an extension, but the left-back took a pay cut rather than an increase. There had been interest from Atletico Madrid and the Saudi Pro League but Digne wanted to continue his Villa career and was willing to drop his wage. The 32-year-old’s new deal keeps him at the club until 2028.
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