Aston Villa laboured through a miserable summer transfer window and the low point was the unwanted sale of a home-grown player to a Premier League rival.
Villa signed veteran goalkeeper Marco Bizot, teenage Feyenoord striker Zépiqueno Redmond and Ivorian winger Evann Guessand before adding Victor Lindelöf on a free transfer on deadline day.
They signed Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on loan from Manchester United and Liverpool respectively but it was a permanent outgoing that most affected the mood.
Selling Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United was the reluctant act of a club in need of player trading profit and, according to director of football operations Damian Vidagany, happened in part because Ramsey and Villa were unable to extend his contract beyond two years.
“It was very sad that Jacob departed because Jacob represented the dream of every Birmingham neighbourhood. But there are two things,” Vidagany told BBC WM.
“We sold Jacob Ramsey because it was a great offer from Newcastle. Second thing was Jacob Ramsey finishing his contract in 2027. And we didn’t get any agreement to extend the contract.”
Vidagany, one of the three men who make up Villa’s football department along with manager Unai Emery and president of football operations Roberto Olabe, opened up about just how long they tried to get the 24-year-old on a new deal.
“For one year, we tried. But what is true, when a player is not extending, you have two ways. Let him terminate the contract and finish it and go for free or for lower money,” added Vidagany.
“Or, if you don’t extend him, sell him at the best price. We didn’t get an agreement, so sometimes when it happens that we can not get an agreement, the best deal is to sell at the best price.”
Losing Ramsey was a financially prudent but otherwise damaging decision on the part of the club.
Several players including senior pros Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and John McGinn went public with their displeasure and the echoes of his departure appeared to have a negative impact on the squad that was unfortunately evident on the pitch.
The full reality of Ramsey must also take into account a long history of injury issues. Newcastle have invested in a terrific footballer who missed more than a season’s worth of matches during his few years in the Villa first team squad.
The Great Barr-born midfielder has already suffered an ankle injury at his new club, missing four of Newcastle’s Premier League matches and their first two in the Champions League.
To date, he has played a total of 267 minutes for the Magpies. He returned for their Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion in the middle of last month.
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