Jacob Ramsey (right) and John McGinn (left)
Jacob Ramsey (right) and John McGinn (left)
Aston Villa captain John McGinn has paid tribute to his departing teammate Jacob Ramsey, whose move to Newcastle United was confirmed over the weekend - and he has rued the fact that have been left in a position where they've had to consider parting with their academy product in the first place.
Ramsey, who joined Villa at six years old in 2007, , pure profit which will aid their ongoing situation with PSR and UEFA's Squad Cost Ratio rules which they must comply with ahead of their campaign.
That have had to sell Ramsey - as well as the likes of Douglas Luiz, Jhon Duran, Moussa Diaby and a number of other first-team players in recent transfer windows - is a sign of the way in which football in this era works and the regulations which clubs are obliged to keep within the limits of, even if their pockets are deeper and ambitions greater.
McGinn said that it was a 'privilege' to share a pitch with Ramsey in a claret and blue shirt, having helped the club win promotion back to the Premier League in 2019 and then, under Unai Emery, securing three successive campaigns in Europe, including in the Champions League last term.
There is, though, a regret for McGinn that Villa have had to entertain the idea of selling Ramsey and moving him onto a direct Premier League rival who'll be fighting for the same thing as the Lions in this newly begun season, and who claimed a point from the two sides' goalless draw at Villa Park in the opener this past weekend.
"Always humble, respectful and willing to learn," McGinn posted. "It’s been a privilege to share the dressing room with you and enjoy some special moments together on the pitch. A sad day losing a top player and person and one of our own but it seems to be the way football is set up these days!"
What is Villa's transfer priority this summer?
Aston Villa Home Shirt
Everyday, the BirminghamLive football desk strive to deliver all manner of news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Aston Villa content.
Our dedicated reporter John Townley - who you can follow on X by clicking - follows Villa home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between.
So much happens day to day and sometimes you can struggle to keep on top of the very latest updates as and when they occur - that's why we have produced a daily newsletter which you can sign up to, for free, and which means you'll have a round-up of the key stories land in your email inbox. Sign up to the Villa newsletter .
You can also get all your favourite content from BirminghamLive's Villa team on WhatsApp. to sign up for breaking updates about the biggest stories in and around the club.
If you prefer reading our Villa stories on your phone, consider downloading the BirminghamLive app, in which you can personalise the content you see by selecting Villa as one of your designated topics. You can get it from Apple and for Android .
Our weekly Aston Villa podcast, Claret And Blue, is also available to watch and listen on all major streaming services. You can subscribe to the YouTube channel , while you can access the podcast on Spotify and via Apple .