If there are any West Ham United supporters wondering why Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey appears to have emerged as one of the club’s top targets heading into the final month of the window, well here’s your explanation.
Barring Tomas Soucek – another solid campaign in front of goal from the Czech giant – none of the midfielders currently at Graham Potter’s disposal came close to reaching double figures during the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.
An admittedly-distracted Lucas Paqueta scored only four. The goalscoring streak James Ward-Prowse frequently displayed as captain of Southampton has deserted him in East London. Just one goal in 15 league matches in a West Ham United shirt last term.
Edson Alvarez, Andy Irving and Guido Rodriguez didn’t even get off the mark.
The problem is not merely a lack of goals, meanwhile, but a lack of intent too. Again, barring Soucek, there is a real shortage of midfielders at West Ham capable or willing to make charging runs into the penalty area. And even fewer with a penchant – or the speed – required for darting in behind the last line of opposition defences.
So, enter Jacob Ramsey. Or, at least, that is the plan.
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty ImagesJacob Ramsey explains West Ham United interest as Aston Villa batter Roma
Aston Villa’s 4-0 friendly thumping of AS Roma on Wednesday could hardly have provided a better insight into the talents Jacob Ramsey would bring to the London Stadium. Talents this West Ham squad is drastically short of.
As Youri Tielemans waited for options to present themselves, Ramsey saw a gap and raced into it. Timing, curving his run beautifully as the Roma backline pushed up, the former England Under-21 international latched onto Tielemans through ball, took one touch to settle himself, and then coolly slotted his finish past an advancing goalkeeper.
Ramsey has scored only two Premier League goals in two injury-hit campaigns from 2023 – 2025.
This, though, was a timely reminder why the Aston Villa academy graduate had been tipped for greatness right at the dawn of his top-flight career, when Ramsey burst onto the scene with 12 goals across his first couple of seasons as a senior player.
Steven Gerrard said Ramsey ‘will be a terrific player’
During the 2022/23 campaign, in particular, a pre-injury Ramsey blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most feared, box-crashing midfielders.
Take those eye-catching finishes against Manchester United, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Tottenham and Liverpool. All follow a similar theme.
Either, Ramsey converts after arriving late in the penalty area – a talent he surely honed under Steven Gerrard at Villa Park – or he runs in behind, latches onto a defence-splitting through ball, and finishes emphatically one-v-one.
Add seven assists to his six league goals that term, and it’s no wonder Aston Villa believe Jacob Ramsey remains ‘one of the best young midfielders in Europe’.
“I want him to make his own headlines with his football. He is a top talent, I’m loving every moment of working with him,” Liverpool legend Gerrard said shortly before he was replaced by Unai Emery in 2022.
“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.”
Hammers News have been informed that Ramsey is valued at a staggering £50 million. Yet, while many Aston Villa fans believe the time may be right to move on – injuries and competition for places have stalled his progress since that outstanding 2022/23 campaign – one suspects that a decent offer could twist the arm of a Villa side facing sustained Financial Fair Play concerns.
Ramsey would, of course, represent ‘pure profit’ from a Profit and Sustainability perspective. With that in mind, West Ham could potentially barter down a lower fee. Especially given that Will Salthouse, Ramsey’s agent, is close to Hammers chairman David Sullivan.
Fellow suitors Everton signed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea earlier this week, meanwhile. A battle with David Moyes for Villa’s number 41 seems unlikely, then.
For now, though, a fit-again Jacob Ramsey is fully focused on getting back to doing what he does best; Charging into the box, and converting chances.