The list of the 10 players the Reds are most likely to recruit this summer was published by Neil Jones the morning after Jorg Schmadtke was named the club’s new sports director.
Naturally, not all of them will go to Anfield, but it provides a clear indication of the next Merseyside transfer action, including probable raids on other Premier League clubs.
One of them is Aston Villa, and Jacob Ramsey is mentioned as a player that LFC “likes” and has done “for some time,” highlighting some of the important characteristics that have captured the attention of the club.
In his article for GOAL, Jones stated: “A deal for Aston Villa star Ramsey looks a little less realistic, even though [Alexis] Mac Allister, [Mason] Mount, and [Ryan] Gravenberch are definitely the major midfield targets for Liverpool this season. The Reds do, however, like the 22-year-old [sic], and have for some time.
“His ability to score and set up goals, his running power, and his potential to develop further have all been noted, but with Villa having qualified for Europe under Unai Emery, and likely demanding a huge fee for their homegrown prodigy, it would take something special to prise the England Under-21 star away,” the article continued.
Ramsey’s propensity for making contributions to goals, the first quality mentioned by Jones, has been amply demonstrated over the past few weeks and months.
In all competitions, he finished the season with six goals and eight assists. He scored in back-to-back games (including one at Anfield) before registering a pair of assists against Brighton on Sunday to celebrate his 22nd birthday in style Transfermarkt.
He stands out as one of the top midfielders in Europe in that regard thanks to his creative skills; this season, he ranked within the top 3% of positional peers for assists throughout the continent’s five top leagues (FBref).
Ramsey distinguished himself against Liverpool in a recent match in more ways than one, as evidenced by the match statistics from Sofascore, not just because of his goal-scoring prowess.
He made three successful dribbles, drew three fouls, and exerted himself outside of the ball by winning seven duels and producing four clearances in a fantastic all-around performance on that day at Anfield.
Although Jones noted that Villa will probably want a premium for the English teenager, he might not be the most reachable target for Jurgen Klopp if the Reds have other priorities.
Football Transfers values him at €26m (£22.5m), but don’t be shocked if the Midlands team waits for a far higher bid before even considering doing business.
Ramsey is undoubtedly one to keep in mind if a chance arises for Schmadtke and Liverpool, but other midfield targets are likely to take precedence.