Tottenham player-plus-cash offer rebuffed by Aston Villa as Unai Emery snubs reunion
Tottenham have offered Giovani Lo Celso in a swap deal for Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey
Tottenham have reportedly seen a player-plus-cash offer for Jacob Ramsey rejected by Aston Villa, with Unai Emery determined to keep hold of the 23-year-old.
Ange Postecoglou views the Villa star as a key target as he looks to bring in reinforcements in the attacking midfield and winger positions.
Ramsey can play both roles and after an impressive few seasons with the Midlands club, is only expected to improve as he gains experience.
He struggled with injuries last term but Emery views him as a key player as the manager prepares for Villa’s first European campaign since 2010/11.
According to talkSPORT, Tottenham ‘were willing to pay £20m plus midfielder Giovani Lo Celso’ for Ramsey, but Villa ‘turned down the offer.’ This is despite Emery managing the Spurs star at both Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal.
Lo Celso, 28, has been at Tottenham since 2020 and has played 108 games for the club, but has fallen down the pecking order in recent seasons.
He was loaned out to Villarreal in the second half of 2021/22 and the whole 2022/23 campaign.
He has just 12 months remaining on his contract and Spurs want to offload him now rather than lose him on a free transfer further down the line.
Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle keen on Ramsey
Aston Villa are working hard on deals and seem to have got themselves on the right side of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
Keeping hold of their key players was always going to be the challenge and Emery views Ramsey as someone in that category.
Tottenham could still try again to lure him away from Villa Park though, while Liverpool and Newcastle are also interested in the versatile playmaker.
Ramsey broke into the Villa squad in 2020 and has made 122 appearances in total for his boyhood club, scoring 13 goals and making 12 assists in the process.
Tottenham may have to look elsewhere for reinforcements should Villa stand firm on their not-for-sale stance.
Spurs have already re-signed Timo Werner on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig and tied up a £8.5m deal for midfielder Lucas Bergvall from Djurgarden.
They have plenty of work to do ahead of the coming campaign, however, with Postecoglou also keen to sign a new striker.
Brentford star Ivan Toney continues to be linked with the North Londoners but he isn’t the only centre-forward on Postecoglou’s shortlist.
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