Jacob Ramsey and Tottenham's driving force behind transfer interest in Aston Villa midfielder

Tottenham's interest in Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is being driven by technical director Johan Lange but Unai Emery's side are unlikely to sell the player, football.london understands.

Lange joined Spurs last November following more than three years at Villa during which time he saw the development of the talented young midfielder, who turned 23 last month, as he played 122 matches for the West Midlands side. Ramsey did have a nightmare last season though with injury as he first broke the metatarsal in his left foot during the European U21 Championships last summer, then reaggravated it in October before a persistent toe injury in March ended his campaign prematurely.

Those injury woes restricted the midfielder to 21 appearances with one goal and two assists, following a sparkling season the last time out which brought eight assists and six goals in 38 matches, including one at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with six goals the previous season when only 20. Lange is a big fan of Ramsey and Tottenham made enquiries in January, soon after the Dane's arrival at the club, about the availability of the player.

With Lange and his team's data-led approach, the case would have been made for the versatile Ramsey's ability to fit into Ange Postecoglou's system either as one of the number eights in the midfield or if required on the left wing, where he sometimes operates for Villa.

football.london understands that Spurs' interest in Ramsey, who has three years left on his contract at Villa Park, has not dulled at all despite his injury-hit season, with Postecoglou approving any approach, and the north London club have enquired again about his availability this month with Villa, although suggestions of a formal offer being made at this point have been played down on various sides.

Tottenham would have probed to see whether Ramsey's fragmented campaign loosened Villa's desire to keep him in the face of a tempting offer, particularly with their previous need to get back within the profit and sustainability rules which the sale of Douglas Luiz to Juventus is now expected to remedy.

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The current indications are that the Midlands side, who will play Champions League football next season, remain as unlikely to sell Ramsey as they did back in January.

Back then, Emery had said: "Jacob Ramsey is a very important player. He grew up here in the academy. His progression is clear and getting better. I want to keep him here with us. Teams may be involved in the possibility to sign him, because he is a potentially big, big player in Aston Villa and England. I want to keep him here 100%."

Tottenham would want Ramsey also because of his homegrown status, similar to their big interest in Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace, which is another reason for Villa to want to keep their midfielder due to him being a club-trained player - one of four that needs to be registered within their Champions League squad for the upcoming campaign.

Spurs would have attempted to use Giovani Lo Celso, currently with Argentina at the Copa America, in any possible move for Ramsey. The 28-year-old has an admirer in Emery with the Spaniard having taken the midfielder on loan to Villarreal for the second half of the 2021/22 season and then resigned him again for the following campaign, only to leave for Villa in October 2022.

Lo Celso is expected to depart Tottenham this summer with interest in his services likely to be boosted by his involvement at the Copa America in the USA and he has just a year left on his contract.

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