Tottenham Hotspur face £50m hurdle in their pursuit of Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey

It seems like ages ago but when Steven Gerard was managing Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur target Jacob Ramsey looked like the next big thing in English football. Injuries and indifferent form however have prevented the player from hitting the heights expected of him – yet.

The Villa academy graduate is only 23 years old but looks like he’s been around for a while. He has featured regularly for Unai Emery’s side when fit but struggled to replicate the kind of form that made him a household name.

Back during his breakthrough into the first team at Villa Park, the Liverpool legend waxed lyrical about the English youngster, even tipping him to become a terrific player. Here is what Gerard had to say about a young Ramsey.

“I know the level of the England players, I’ve been around it, and have enough experience to know it’s only a matter of time, but let’s all be sensible and keep calm about it. He’s not following in anyone’s footsteps. Jacob Ramsey is Jacob Ramsey. He will be a terrific player. It won’t be long before the whole country is watching him I’m sure. He is right up there, let me tell you.”

Ramsey is struggling to live up to the lofty standards his ex-manager set for him all those years ago but it’s not too late. Maybe a fresh start is what the English youngster needs to rediscover his spark and Tottenham can provide him with just that.

Talks of a swap deal between the two clubs that would see Ramsey come to the N17 and Giovani Lo Celso reunite with Unai Emery were mooted. However, according to Football Insider, the Villains value their graduate at around £50m, something that Spurs don’t agree on at the moment.

Having qualified for the Champions League last season, Villa have no pressure of the PL PSR rules hanging over their head and are in no need to make a pure profit. This is reflected in their valuation of Ramsey.

A couple of seasons ago, spending such an amount on Ramsey might have been seen as an investment for the future but his stocks have been on a sharp decline since. This might make Spurs wary. The red herring is that this might also make Villa wary.

Should Ramsey have yet another poor season at Villa Park, his transfer valuation will go even lower, and the interest in him could fade away. It’s a gamble that the club have to take with respect to their home-grown star.

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For Tottenham, signing Ramsey would be useful, but only at the right terms. It doesn’t make sense to overpay for him but if we can get a favourable transfer deal, we will be signing a 23-year-old homegrown English talent with his best years ahead of him. It remains to be seen how this saga develops.