Aston Villa may be ‘forced’ to accept £50m Jacob Ramsey offer after new PSR developments
Aston Villa will look for a fee between £40-£50million this summer if they are “forced” into selling Jacob Ramsey, according to Alan Hutton.
The 22-year-old midfielder has had a stop-start season under Unai Emery at Villa Park this year, with constant injury and fitness issues limiting him to just eight starts in the Premier League where he has only scored once.
Ramsey was the subject of some transfer speculation in the January window and it has been suggested that the Villans could look to sell the England youth international this summer as they look to balance their books amid PSR concerns [BBC Sport, 2 May].
Although Hutton believes Emery and those behind the scenes at Villa Park will be doing everything they can to keep the midfielder, he admits they could be powerless to reject any big-money bids that do arrive.
“If you’re forced into that situation maybe you have to sell him,” Hutton told Villa News.
“We all know the rules and with Jacob Ramsey coming through the youth system which means it’s all profit. What are you going to be talking about? £40-£50million?
“I think he’s only going to get better and I don’t think Aston Villa are going to sell him for any less than that. Why would you when he’s such a talented footballer who is only going to get better?
“When you look at the likes of Conor Gallagher and these kinds of guys who are in the same kind of situation and have been a breath of fresh air for their team but could possibly be sold, I think everybody is in that situation at this moment in time.
“It would be a real shame in my opinion to see him go, but I understand the way the footballing world works at this moment in time.”
Will Aston Villa and Unai Emery sell Jacob Ramsey in the summer transfer window?
It has seemed inevitable for much of the season that Emery could be forced to sell some of his best players when the summer transfer window opens at Villa Park, with Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins constantly linked with the exit door.
The Villans won’t want to be hit with a point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations and with Ramsey representing pure profit as an academy product, he would arguably be one of the most effective players to sell.
However, with a Champions League campaign on the horizon, Emery won’t be keen to lose one of his brightest young talents.
Ultimately, Villa will have to wait and see what interest emerges in the 22-year-old this summer and if a big bid does arrive, they could have a difficult decision to make.
In other Aston Villa news, Champions League qualification could “help” Villa secure a deal for Jack Grealish this summer
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