Goncalo Ramos
Villa target? PSG striker Goncalo Ramos (Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
Aston Villa have been credited with an interest in Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos ahead of the opening of the summer transfer window.
Ramos, ahed 23, is looking forward to the Champions League final with PSG, who beat all four English clubs en route to the final against Inter Milan, including Villa in the quarter finals.
Ramos is a Portuguese international who has had to play second fiddle to Luis Enrique's preferred front-line of Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue, as well as Bradley Barcola. He started only 16 of the 38 games he appeared in last season but has still managed to contribute 18 goals and six assists.
The striker, who is rated at being worth 45m euros by Transfermarkt, did get handed a start in the champions' Ligue 1 win over Montpellier over the weekend, and he plundered a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory, after which Enrique complimented his forward.
“He’s a wonderful player, capable of very high performances,” he said of Ramos on Saturday. “If he plays a minute, he plays it very well. If he’s not on the pitch, he still helps the team. And today, he came into the starting 11 and scored three goals. So he’s a player who always performs at his best, and I would call him a guarantee.”
Ramos, who joined PSG initially on loan from Benfica before making the move permanent for a fee of €65m in the winter of 2023, has a contract which runs until 2028, but reports suggest PSG would be open to selling him this summer if they were presented with a suitable offer.
Villa, along with Arsenal, Manchester United and clubs on the continent, have been linked with a move. Villa will look to refresh their forward line having sold Jhon Duran in January and with Marcus Rashford's loan spell set to end.
“If I have to talk to you about Ramos, I can only say that he has an iron spirit," Enrique also said of Ramos in April. "He has a faultless ambition and he’s a very interesting player. I am happy to have him in my squad, he is always ready to help the team.
"His numbers are good, he has been putting in very good performances. He deserves more game time, but that’s how it is in big teams. His performances and his character have been impeccable. He is very young, but also very mature. I am happy to have him.”
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