Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey has reportedly emerged as a priority transfer target for West Ham United this summer.
The 24-year-old came through our Academy and has gone on to establish himself as a key figure in the first-team squad, scoring 17 goals and providing 19 assists in 167 appearances.
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While he remains a fundamental option for Unai Emery, speculation has emerged over his future this week, with The West Ham Way reporting, via ExWHUEmployee, that Ramsey is a priority transfer target for the Hammers this summer.
It’s added that Villa could be willing to sell depending on the offer received, and so time will tell if there is a breakthrough in negotiations between the two clubs to facilitate an exit for the midfield ace.
Naturally, as one of our own, selling Ramsey would be a bitterly disappointing outcome given the hope that he would continue to be an important player for us for years to come, and while injuries have been a problem for him, he has shown plenty of quality and promise to suggest that he can be a leading figure.
That said, he has missed significant periods due to setbacks and has struggled to hit the heights that he reached after Emery initially took charge, with others surpassing him in terms of importance and consistency in the Villa XI, question marks have arguably been raised over whether or not we can upgrade in that department.
Having made a bright start to pre-season this summer, it had been hoped that Ramsey was building the foundation for his best season yet in a Villa shirt as more is expected, and needed, from him moving forward if he is to continue to be a key piece in Emery’s plans, but having been an unused substitute in our most recent pre-season outing at a time when he’s being linked with leaving, it doesn’t feel like a great sign of what might be coming.
The expectation is that if Villa do sell Ramsey, it would arm us with transfer funds to make crucial signings to strengthen the squad given the increased financial flexibility it would afford us, but Emery has made no secret of how highly he rates the Villa homegrown talent, and so time will tell if he’s prepared to green light an exit, and importantly, if West Ham put an offer on the table that forces the club to give serious consideration over whether or not to sell.
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