Jacob Ramsey is attracting interest from Newcastle, Spurs and Bayern Munich (Picture: Getty)

Unai Emery has played down speculation linking Jacob Ramsey with a move to Newcastle, insisting the midfielder remains a ‘very important player’ in his plans at Aston Villa.

A report in The Athletic indicates that Newcastle have approached Villa over a possible deal for the 22-year-old, regarded as one of the top young talents in Premier League football.

The England Under-21 international, who joined Villa’s academy at the age of six, made his first-team debut in 2019 and has since scored 13 goals in 115 appearances for his boyhood club.

It’s understood Ramsey’s performances have attracted the attention of Bayern Munich and Tottenham, as well as Newcastle, but all three clubs are aware that the youngster will not come cheap given he is tied into a contract at Villa Park until 2027.
Financial Fair Play restrictions have also hampered the Magpies’ ability to throw their weight around in the January transfer market, with this month’s deadline fast approaching.

‘Jacob Ramsey is a very important player here,’ Villa head coach Emery told reporters on Monday when asked about the rumours surrounding Ramsey.

‘He grew up here in the academy and his progression is clearly getting better, his level is increasing a lot and I want to keep him here with us.

Ramsey broke into Villa’s first-team back in 2019 (Picture: Getty...