Aaron Ramsey profile: Youngster set to follow in footsteps of brother Jacob at Aston Villa
Aston Villa have proven they have an academy brimming with talent in recent years, and few are as highly rated as 19-year-old Aaron Ramsey, who is currently on loan at Norwich City.
The midfielder, who is comfortable operating as an eight, ten or as a winger, has risen through the Villa ranks at a rapid rate and is following on from older brother Jacob Ramsey – who has become a regular starter in the first-team.
Having started his grassroots journey at Bodymoor Heath, the starlet has already gained major tournament experience with his country. He represented England Under-19s at the European Championships alongside Villa teammates Carney Chukwuemeka and Tim Iroegbunam and has now been capped 13 times at this international age group.
The youngster – yet to make his Aston Villa first-team debut – was part of the 2021 Villa Youth Cup winning team before being sent out on loan to Cheltenham Town last season, where he made 15 appearances and scored one goal.
This season the Villa youngster has made another step up in class, making 18 Championship appearances under Dean Smith at Norwich and bagging three goals along the way.
Ramsey has proven a prominent figure for the second-division high-fliers, filling in behind an all-star attack of Teemu Pukki and Josh Sargent.
The teenager made an immediate impact upon his signing at Carrow Road, registering an assist in a 1-0 win against Sunderland in August and providing a further two assists in wins over Coventry City and Bristol City in September.
On the improvement the Villa-loanee has made this season, Smith said: “Some of his movement and his flicks and his vision has been excellent.
“Ramsey is starting to get to grips with life in the Championship and has settled in really well, which I would expect because he’s such a good, lovely lad. He understands the game and he’s a clever footballer.”
If ever there was a manager who enjoyed a clever footballer, it would be Unai Emery.
Whether he joins his brother Jacob in the first team or stays out on loan for the 2023/24 season is still unknown, but the talented teenager evidently has a huge role to play at Aston Villa in the coming years.
In other Aston Villa news, Alisha Lehmann targets a top-five finish in the WSL this season.