Aston Villa have reportedly suffered a major injury setback as Jacob Ramsey is set for at least 10 weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a broken metatarsal.
The 22-year-old picked up the knock while in action for England at the U21s European Championships this month, and there were immediate concerns given he was seen leaving the stadium on crutches.
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While Villa have yet to confirm the severity of the problem, Ramsey was said to be back in England this week to undergo further tests, and now The Athletic report that he will be ruled out of action for at least 10 weeks with the broken metatarsal.
Given his importance to Unai Emery having ended last season with six goals and eight assists in 38 appearances, as well as the fact that he continues to grow into a pivotal figure in the Villa XI in terms of his overall influence on our play, it’s a bitterly disappointing setback that he will now spend pre-season recovering and receiving treatment.
That timeline will also now rule him out of the start of the new Premier League campaign as we get underway on August 12 at Newcastle United, while Ramsey will also sit out our Europa Conference League playoff round at the end of August, provided the report is accurate.
Naturally, the hope is that he’s able to recover ahead of schedule and return sooner, but given the nature of the injury, it’s not one that can be rushed and so ultimately it’s hoped that he doesn’t suffer any setbacks along the way and makes a full recovery.
Villa have alternative options to fill that void while we’re expected to be active in the transfer window to add more quality and competition in and around that position, and so time will tell how we address the blow while Ramsey is ruled out.
It remains a disappointing setback regardless though, as Ramsey would have been itching to build on his momentum from last season over pre-season and head into the campaign fully fit and raring to go. Instead, Emery will now have to find a solution in his absence.