Tottenham Hotspur have tabled an opening bid for Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey.
Spurs offered £20 million plus Giovani Lo Celso, but Villa have rejected their offer (h/t the Times).
Villa are open to selling Ramsey this summer but are holding out for a fee north of £40m for the former England Under-21 international.
Ramsey spent most of last season sidelined due to injury but still featured 21 times across all competitions, contributing a goal and two assists.
Despite his injury-plagued campaign, Tottenham are interested in the midfielder and are trying to leverage Villa’s financial situation to negotiate a fair deal.
Villa is one of several Premier League clubs that must raise funds before the end of the month to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
However, having sold Tim Iroegbunam to Everton, Omari Kellyman to Chelsea and possibly Douglas Luiz to Juventus, Villa are under no immediate pressure to sell Ramsey.
Tottenham’s move for the English midfielder echoes their desire to strengthen their squad this summer, but they’ll need to raise their offer to complete a deal.
Tottenham are better off looking elsewhere
Ramsey struggled with a foot injury during the first half of the season. He started just eight Premier League games before a toe problem ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
He is undeniably a top talent, but there’s no guarantee that he will be able to recapture his best form after a lengthy lay-off.
The 23-year-old is valued at around £30m on Transfermarkt, so Tottenham’s offer should have been more than enough to secure a deal.
Villa’s £40m valuation is excessive, and Spurs would be wise to explore other options who are potentially available at a more reasonable price.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
