Aston Villa midfielder has Newcastle United as his preferred destination as summer move could still happen - The Athletic
Newcastle United are in the market for a new midfielder this summer following the sale of Sean Longstaff to Leeds United.
Eddie Howe has made it clear he wants six first-team midfielders in the squad, and with Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Lewis Miley and Joe Willock, he has ... Fiiiiive. That's right. (If I'm going to state the obvious, I might as well go all Sesame Street with it.)
There have been a few players linked to the Toon in recent days, including Jack Rudoni of Coventry, Leicester's Bilal El Khannouss and even Aston Villa's John McGinn.
However, there's another Aston Villa player who could be a more likely target, according to The Athletic, who claim that both clubs are in talks this week over a potential deal ahead of their Premier League clash on Saturday.
Jacob Ramsey wants the move to Newcastle
Jacob Ramsey is a player who Newcastle have admired for a while, and his name was bandied around at the start of the window before going quiet.
Now, The Athletic have said that he's one to keep an eye on as he's refusing to negotiate a new deal with Aston Villa with two years left on his deal.
"The 24-year-old is now in the final 24 months of his Villa contract, and despite several offers to extend, no agreement has been reached. In such circumstances, both parties are open-minded about finding an alternative solution, and that is likely to mean a sale.
"This would avoid further limbo, allowing Villa to plan ahead with more clarity and Ramsey the opportunity to achieve greater career stability. Many suitors have expressed an interest to Ramsey’s camp, but emerging as his preferred destination are Newcastle United."
Jacob Ramsey is versatile, which is what Eddie Howe loves
If a player openly wants to come to Newcastle, then they're the ones we should be chasing. After all the knockbacks this summer, it only makes sense to pursue ones who have shown an interest in the project.
Ramsey isn't a world beater by any means, but he is a good player and is the exact level we're looking for. He will know that he's not going to displace any of the three main midfielders, but he would probably be next in line ahead of the other subs.
The 24-year-old is classed as a left-winger, but he has also played in the middle of the park and even as a centre forward for Aston Villa. His versatility could be a very useful addition to Eddie Howe's squad.
As The Athletic have said, it could be one to keep an eye on.
