Aston Villa have managed to salvage their season by appointing Unai Emery following Steven Gerrard’s sacking last year and with a mid-table Premier League finish looking likely, he will be aiming for better things next year.
There is no doubting that he has the squad available for a challenge into the top half of the table and dare you say it, eyeing a European spot, especially if the Spaniard manages to lure some more top-class talent to Villa Park during the summer transfer window.
With an average squad age of 27.1 years, Emery has the chance to lower this and build ahead to the future, especially with players such as Jacob Ramsey continuing their impressive rise.
How much is Jacob Ramsey worth now?
The Englishman has been at Villa since he was six and progressed through the age groups, scoring 11 goals in just 26 appearances for the club in the U18 Premier League, offering the supporters a glimpse of his vast talent and showcasing his goal-scoring abilities.
He was given the chance to develop in the senior ranks, enjoying a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers during the 2019/2020 season before the “special talent” – as so dubbed by Sam Tabuteau – finally made his Premier League debut the season after, going on to make 22 appearances in total, and he looked destined for the top.
Indeed, 2021/22 would be a real breakout campaign for the £70k-per-week midfielder, playing 34 matches in the league, learning under Gerrard, who was appointed manager in November 2021.
The former Rangers’ manager was clearly an excellent influence on Ramsey as he netted six goals and grabbed an assist during the season while making 0.6 key passes and two tackles per game along with succeeding with 63% of his dribble attempts, clearly proving himself as an all-round midfielder, capable of getting stuck in when required.
Having cost the club nothing, Football Transfers now value the 21-year-old at €26.7m (£23m) and with an expected transfer value as high as €33.4m (£29m), Villa have certainly hit the jackpot on Ramsey.
There is no doubt that he can still improve over time, and having three full seasons of Premier League football behind him will only turn him into a more rounded player who could become integral to Emery’s future plans.
Indeed, he is now beginning to show his true colours under the Spaniard, having scored against Bournemouth prior to the international break and then registered an assist in the win over Chelsea on Saturday.
Who knows, in a few years they may be able to sell him for £50m plus if he continues on his upward trajectory.
