The 2025 summer transfer window has been one that many Newcastle United fans would likely want to forget.
They've had numerous transfer targets join Premier League rivals, including Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko, who went to Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively. Furthermore, the club has spent the whole window with the shadow of Alexander Isak's departure hanging over them.
However, they have also achieved some underrated wins with the likes of Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw. Eddie Howe's side have also been closely linked to Brentford's Yoane Wissa as a potential replacement for Isak.
Even with these signings, PIF are on the hunt for even more squad depth and are close to completing the signing of a talented Premier League player.
Newcastle agree £40m deal for Ramsey
Fabrizio Romano reported that Newcastle were closing in on a deal for Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey, who only wants a move to St James' Park. The 24-year-old has been with Villa since 2007 and has risen through the academy to become a regular feature in the first team.
Mike McGrath has now added that Newcastle have agreed a £40m fee with Villa, so the Magpies now need to open talks over personal terms, and a medical will be arranged once an agreement has been reached.
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
However, this is a rapidly developing deal and there’s speculation that the personal terms could be agreed sooner rather than later and the deal concluded swiftly after.
West Ham were also reported to have approached Villa for Ramsey, as per Romano, but were dissuaded when the player made it clear that he "only wants Newcastle".
"Newcastle have agreed fee with Aston Villa for Jacob Ramsey, package £40m. The 24yo still has to speak to NUFC and agree personal terms before undergoing medical."
Newcastle will be getting a versatile player who is seen as similar to Barcelona winger Raphinha, as per FBref due to his dynamic ability to play in attacking midfield or on the wing.
From a Villa perspective, they were one of the clubs most at risk of a PSR breach, so it’s likely the sale is more out of necessity than not wanting him. As Ramsey is an academy product, he will be listed purely as profit in Villa's accounts, making him a more valuable player to sell PSR-wise than a player that they had signed.
Ramsey elevates those around him
Ramsey's last season at Villa had been an upgrade on his quiet 2023/24 campaign, with most of his highlights coming in the Champions League and the FA Cup. With Newcastle back in the Champions League, they'll be hoping that Ramsey can emulate this cup form in black and white.
While Ramsey's goal involvements aren't quite at the level of some of Newcastle's current midfielders and wingers, he is often instrumental in build-up play, which can allow his teammates to score and assist more often.
The 24-year-old averages 13.5 progressive actions per 90 minutes in the league and features in the top 15% of players for pass accuracy, meaning he not only retains the ball but often does something positive with it.
Additionally, he featured in the top 5% of players for dribble success rate. If PIF can get Ramsey, he will be able to get the ball to the forward line on a regular basis, allowing them to score more goals. While no one player may be able to replace Isak's numbers, signings like Ramsey will bring up the squad's numbers as a whole, helping to ease the goal burden.