JACK GREALISH REPEAT: IMPORTANT ASTON VILLA STAR COULD LEAVE FOR PL CLUB

One of the most underrated academy systems in English football is Aston Villa’s academy. In the Premier League era, they have produced some impressive players, who have gone on to achieve some great things in the game. Three of their academy products have notably had esteemed Premier League careers, both at Villa Park and for other clubs.

Perhaps the most famous name to have been produced by Villa is Jack Grealish. He developed a reputation in the Midlands as one of the Premier League’s best players, after helping them get promoted from the Championship. He since left Villa Park for a British record £100m fee for Manchester City, where he ended up winning the treble.

Another legendary name to come from the Villans’ academy is Gareth Barry. His 653 appearances in the Premier League are the most by any player in the history of the competition, and as well as representing Villa, he played for Man City, West Brom and Everton.

Two-time Premier League winner with Chelsea Gary Cahill also came through at Villa but played just 31 times before departing to join Bolton. Now, with the transfer window here, another exciting Villa academy product could be on his way out to join a top-flight rival.

Villa could lose academy product

The player in question here is Villa academy graduate Jacob Ramsey. The 23-yeard-old midfielder has been an important player for Villa since breaking into the senior team but could leave the club this summer to join a Premier League rival.

At least, that is according to a report from The Standard. They explain that Spurs have 'tracked' Ramsey this summer, as they look to bring in a homegrown midfielder, add to the depth to their midfield options and push themselves further up the table.

Aside from Ramsey, the other main name on Spurs’ list is Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher. The England international could depart Stamford Bridge, although Spurs’ interest in the 24-year-old is 'expected to cool' after the deadline for the profit and sustainability rules has expired, meaning Chelsea do not necessarily need to sell.

Whilst a deal for Ramsey is not guaranteed, it does seem like something Spurs could pursue. A price has not been named, but Spurs would offer attacking midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso as part of the deal. According to Football Transfers, Ramsey is valued at £22m, so a deal valued at that price or more, plus Lo Celso, could be on the cards.

Why Ramseys departure would be as bad as Grealish leaving

Should Villa allow Ramsey to leave the club this summer, it could be as bad as when Grealish departed Villa Park. The season after the talismanic attacker left Villa Park, they went into a lull, and did not have the best season after his departure; the Villans finished 14th in the 2021/22 season.

However, what would really make the departure of Ramsey a frustrating deal for Villa is the loss of another exciting academy player. As football analyst H called him, the young midfielder is "underrated" amongst Premier League players. With Grealish, his departure was inevitable, given he wanted to expand his footballing horizons and try to win trophies.

Now, however, Villa are in a different situation, competing in the Champions League next season, and with a real chance of winning a domestic cup. At the age of just 23, Ramsey has many years left at the top, and he could leave in the future if he does not feel he can win anything at Villa. To lose such a big academy star again would be a huge blow for the Villans.

Ramsey’s Premier League record for Villa is certainly similar to the numbers that Grealish put up for his boyhood club. He has been a crucial player under Unai Emery, although did struggle with injuries last season.

Given his valuable role at Villa under Emery, and when factoring in his age, it perhaps does not make sense for Ramsey to leave Villa Park for pastures anew at this stage of his career. Not only that, Spurs might not be paying much money for the 23-year-old, and there is often extra value behind academy players.

It certainly seems to make sense for Villa to keep hold of the young Englishman if he wants to stay at the club. They do not want to repeat the mistake they made in selling Grealish, and whilst they got £100m to reinvest in the squad, they could have kept him at the club to spearhead the next project. Perhaps we will see Villa make the same mistake with Ramsey this summer.

2024-07-04T18:28:35Z dg43tfdfdgfd