Midlands-based journalist Luke Hatfield has admitted that he was shocked to see Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey linked with a move to Manchester City.
What's the latest news involving Jacob Ramsey?
The 20-year-old has begun to make his mark at Villa Park this season, starting four of the side's last five top-flight matches. He has played his part in helping the team pick up back-to-back wins against Everton and Manchester United to move Villa into the top half of the table.
Ramsey's performances have not gone unnoticed, and it was recently reported that City have identified him as a potential transfer target for the future after his eye-catching start to the campaign.
What did Hatfield say about Ramsey potentially being targeted by Man City?
Hatfield has been impressed by Ramsey's development in recent times, but fears that a move to City at this stage would be a little too early in his career, considering he has only just established himself in the Villa starting XI.
Speaking about the talented youngster, who is valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, being linked with Pep Guardiola's side, Hatfield told GIVEMESPORT: “I’m surprised because, Jacob Ramsey, despite being good for Villa and breaking over the past 18 months or so, the links with Man City are maybe a little bit too soon for me.
“Ramsey has impressed at Villa and he’s really kicked on this season. He looks like he’s almost filled out a little bit more, which is exactly what he needed to do. That physicality in the Premier League can’t be understated, and against Manchester United he put in another brilliant performance.
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Would it be too early for Ramsey to move to City?
Ramsey has made big strides in his progression this term already, and has shown in his performances against Chelsea and United that he is more than capable of performing at the highest level.
Taking that next leap up the ladder to City is another matter altogether, though.
The Premier League champions have a ridiculous amount of talent at their disposal in midfield, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva. With star names like that still on their books, it is hard to see how Ramsey would fit in, and a lack of game time could cause his career to stagnate.
Of course, De Bruyne and Gundogan are both in their thirties now, so there may be an opportunity for Ramsey to replace those players a couple of years down the line.
For now, though, he is probably better off staying at Villa and continuing to improve under the watchful eye of Dean Smith.