A former Tottenham scout expects the club to move for a ‘top-level’ midfield signing in 2025 as talk of a move for Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey continues to escalate.
The north London club were heavily linked with a move for the Villa star over the summer as Ange Postecoglou looked to make major changes to his engine room.
Oliver Skipp and Giovani Lo Celso were both sold, while Tanguy Ndombele was released from his contract and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg loaned out to Marseille with an option to buy.
In terms of incomings, Lucas Bergvall finally arrived after initially agreeing his move to Tottenham back in January, while the highly-rated Archie Gray was signed from Leeds United in a £30million deal.
However, it was common knowledge that Postecoglou wanted another midfield body added to his squad, with Spurs failing in their efforts to re-unite Lo Celso with Villa boss Unai Emery in a deal that would have involved Ramsey moving in the opposite direction.
Former Tottenham scout Bryan King, who worked for the club between 2002 and 2008, still believes his old club will sign another midfielder though and clearly rates Ramsey very highly.
In an interview with Tottenham News, King said: “We’re talking about a top-level player here. Who else are Spurs looking at? Who else could be available? It needs to be this standard of player, this quality of player. They can’t be messing around in the Championship. If they want to be big then they have got to look big.
“This is a talented player who can continue to develop under Postecoglou. Arsenal and Newcastle are mentioned, if Ramsey is to be sold, his agent will want a bidding war.”
Villa fighting to keep Ramsey
Villa continue to value Ramsey at between £40-50m, which could still be a sticking point for Tottenham as they look to make more additions to Postecoglou’s squad in the January window.
Ramsey has been a regular contributor for Villa again this season though, showing he is a key component of Emery’s team. Indeed, he has started both Champions League outings so far and made 10 appearances in total, scoring one goal and adding an assist.
Postecoglou views the 23-year-old as a player who could fit in perfectly as a No.8 box-to-box midfielder capable of scoring goals and, at that age, he ticks all the boxes in terms of how Tottenham are trying to give the Australian a younger, hungrier squad of players capable of playing the game with more energy and intelligence.
There is the added complication of Arsenal also reportedly being in the mix for the player, though, although a striker is more of a priority signing for them either in January or next summer. Newcastle have also been mentioned as potential suitors for the player.
Latest Tottenham transfer news: Porro replacement scouted / Dortmund winger raid
Tottenham are reportedly ready to turn to Serie A again in their search for defensive reinforcements, with an Atalanta right-back on their radar amid growing concerns of Pedro Porro’s future.
There have been reports of a €65m (£54.4m / $71.1m) bid being negotiated between Real and Spurs for Porro and that has led to the north London outfit scouring potential replacements – one of which is Atalanta’s Raoul Bellanova.
Meanwhile, Tottenham and Liverpool have reportedly been told the asking price for top Bundesliga talent Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who is currently making a huge name for himself at Borussia Dortmund.
The England Under-21 international is being chased by multiple clubs after scoring four goals and adding two assists in all competitions for Dortmund this season.
And while Dortmund are not willing to sanction the sale of Bynoe-Gittens in the January transfer window, any clubs prepared to wait until the summer of 2025 have learned how much the exciting attacker will cost.
IN FOCUS – Ramsey showing importance to Villa
Ramsey has 27 goals involvements in 131 games for Villa since making his debut for the club back in 2019, having initially burst onto the scene with his goalscoring heroics in the FA Youth Cup during the 2018-19 campaign.
While not yet the finished article, Emery is clearly a big fan of the player while Tottenham’s continued interest and that price tag of approaching £50m suggests the Villa man is a midfielder ready to take his game to the next level.
Whether that remains at Villa Park or elsewhere remains to be seen.