Matthew Chadder

Fri 4 August 2023 12:50, UK

Aaron Ramsey enjoyed positive loan spells away from Aston Villa with Norwich and Middlesbrough in the Championship last season and could make his next switch permanent.

There is no doubt that 20-year-old Ramsey is a brilliant talent who could be destined for greatness, and that is perhaps sometimes forgotten by supporters as his potential is overshadowed by the incredible success of his brother, Jacob Ramsey, at Villa Park.

Jacob, 22, is slightly older than his younger brother Aaron, 20, and has been on a much quicker upward trajectory at the club.

As a result of this, the younger of the two brothers might feel now is the time for him to go elsewhere and make a name for himself. His recent loan spells were an overall success, with the youngster putting up some impressive numbers in the Championship.

He scored three goals and provided three assists for the Canaries, before moving to the Boro in January, where he scored five times and made one assist.

Throughout the season he was played in attacking midfield and sometimes out wide or further forward on the left. He also made his debut for the England Under-20s last season in a friendly against Chile and scored for his country in his third match for the age group against Australia.

Now, he finds himself at a crossroads, and at a stage in his career where he will want to push on and play more first-team football as he prepares to turn 21 midway through next season.

This is the time to accelerate his development and he could be offered a chance to do that in the Premier League, away from Birmingham. Writing via his Patreon account (4 August), The Sun journalist Alan Nixon reported that Burnley are interested in signing Ramsey.

“The Clarets are willing to go to a guaranteed £12million for attacking midfielder Ramsey and hope Villa will accept,” Nixon wrote.

“However Villa would prefer to let the deal go ahead with a guaranteed price if they choose to take him ‘home’ in a couple of years.”

“The Lancashire club want Ramsey badly but they are not sure about that plan which is the idea of Villa’s new transfer guru Monchi”

Villa insisting on a buyback clause suggests that they know just how much of a talent Ramsey can become, but unfortunately Unai Emery just isn’t likely to find space for him in his current midfield.

The 51-year-old already has (Jacob) Ramsey, Youri Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn, to name a few, at his disposal, and they are all likely to be ahead of the 20-year-old in the pecking order.

A move away for Ramsey, therefore, makes sense if he wants to get regular game time, but if a buyback clause is not inserted, Villa could seriously live to regret selling him if the young midfielder goes on to fulfil his potential.

In other Aston Villa news, the club are looking to sign another midfielder but could be set to miss out.