Anthony Onifade

Tue 30 May 2023 17:08, UK

Aston Villa confirmed their impressive spot in the Europa Conference League for the 2023/24 campaign and one key Villa Park favourite finally has the chance to light up the European stage.

Villa needed to win to finish seventh in the Premier League and earn a spot in the playoffs for the third-tier Europa Conference League and they did so to such impressive aplomb beating Brighton 2-1 at Villa Park on Sunday [28 May].

Goals from key performers Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins ensured Unai Emery and his side cemented their place in the Europa Conference League next season – their first European appearance in 13 years.

Ex-Sevilla and Arsenal boss Emery arrived from Villarreal and has completely transformed the Aston Villa ship, turning the team into a fully-fledged and potential European outfit by guiding them to 15 wins from 25 matches.

There’s certainly been a number of factors contributing to Emery’s success at Villa Park, none more so than his tremendous tactical flexibility and the adaptation of his key performers.

One player who has consistently performed well past his youthful years is indeed Jacob Ramsey, proving throughout the campaign that he is indeed arguably the Premier League’s most exciting young midfield talent.

The 22-year-old was rightly awarded the 2022/23 Premier League Academy Graduate of the Year award (22 May), following in the footsteps of the likes of Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marcus Rashford, showcasing why he is the cream of a very exciting crop of Premier League talent that has emerged on the scene this season.

And if any neutral wants to doubt Ramsey’s talents, they’d only need to look at his underlying numbers.

According to the Opta-powered stats on FBREF, Ramsey looks to be one of the most-rounded midfielders in the Premier League, sitting in the top 20% of his counterparts for goals (0.21 per 90) and assists (0.18 per 90) as well as non-penalty goals.

It’s now season on season, and the 22-year-old seems to be improving his goal output, as referenced and highlighted by Aston Villa Statto [30 May] – under Emery, the Villa Park academy graduate has consistently popped up with crucial goals and assists, including one against the Seagulls at the weekend to help cement their European place.

In the 2020/21 season, Ramsey failed to produce a single-goal contribution from 22 appearances, in 2021/22, he netted six goals and provided one assist, but this season has been by far his most productive, amassing six goals and a further seven assists, pushing him to become one of the Premier League’s most decisive and world-rounded young talents.

Now is his chance to utilise such characteristics on the European stage for Aston Villa, after their tremendous qualification for the competition next season.

Every young player dreams of writing their name in the headlines in one of Europe’s biggest competitions and a player of Ramsey’s ilk and class, the stage certainly looks set for him to achieve the unthinkable in his career.

The 22-year-old also boasts a much-needed luxury that arguably no other emerging talent possesses, and that’s the added sprinkle dust and class of his manager Emery, who has a whopping four European gongs to his name throughout his decorated managerial career.

His wonderful goal-contribution skills, unique midfield talents coupled with the tactical class and experience of Emery give Ramsey all the tools he needs to take the next step in his career.

And the 22-year-old now looks like the kind of talent capable of bursting on the European stage, it’s all set out for him and is indeed written in the stars. And that could also be the springboard to push for a place in the England senior international setup also.

In other Aston Villa news, one academy graduate has picked up an injury which could derail his pre-season plans.