Aston Villa have had lots to smile about this season, since the emergence to form under Unai Emery, the club have rocketed up to 7th in the table and could still grasp European football should they continue to perform in their remaining four games.
The Villains have seen improvements all over the pitch since the Spaniard took over from Steven Gerrard, from Tyrone Mings to John McGinn, the Midlands side have challenged doubters and recorded top performances seeing them shoot up the table.
While Gerrard opted for a narrower approach in midfield, the four-time Europa League winning coach has equipped his middle-of-the-park attackers with a license to roam, gifting more chances going forward and feeding goal-getter Ollie Watkins leading the line.
One player that has emerged as a rising star under Emery’s system is 21-year-old Jacob Ramsey who has been given a key role in the Spaniard’s approach to play which has been rewarded with his impressive performances.
Dubbed to be “top class in the future” by Premier League legend Jamie Carragher, the young maestro has flourished this season, seeing his value rocket to a high of £23m; a worthy graduate from Villa’s academy.
How much is Jacob Ramsey worth?
The Englishman’s rise to form has been recognised in the league, contributing to nine goals in 31 appearances this season, scoring four himself and assisting five.
Securing as many as 2,286 minutes in the English top-flight deserves some praise in itself, however the youth product has taken it upon himself to get involved amongst the goals.
The Birmingham-born gem has earned an average match rating of 6.90 in the league according to Sofascore, placing him in Villa’s top five performers in this successful campaign – level in fifth with Ollie Watkins. Goals aren’t the only thing that Ramsey has been applauded for, the midfielder ranks at third for highest pass completion rate the final third (89%).
The 21-year-old puts in a shift defensively too, ranking in the top 9% of players in Europe’s top five leagues – when compared to his positional peers – for blocks, averaging 1.76 per 90 mins.
Therefore, there is little surprise that the midfielder’s value has risen to a figure around the £23m mark currently, cementing himself into Villa’s team and Emery’s plans for seasons to come.
Speaking after the Villains victory over Leeds United back in 2022, in which Ramsey netted twice, former boss and English midfield legend Steven Gerrard lauded he was “loving” coaching the £75k-per-week attacking midfielder who had been given room to “express himself” at the club.
It’s encouraging that with the change in manager has come more opportunities for the rising star to show his worth. Journalist Dean Jones highlighted the progression of the Englishman under the guidance of Emery when talking to GIVEMESPORT saying he has “benefited” from the Spaniard’s system, and tipped him to “show what he’s really capable of” in the 2023/24 campaign.
With the youngsters value rising and Emery’s first full season with Villa coming after the summer break, it’s a chance for Ramsey to take it to the next level in the early moments of his career in the Premier League.
Clearly, given the evidence above, Villa have hit the jackpot with the 21-year-old.