EXCLUSIVE: Aston Villa target PSG striker Goncalo Ramos for January transfer

Aston Villa are exploring the possibility of signing Portugal international striker Goncalo Ramos from PSG before the close of the January transfer window, FootballTransfers, in conjunction with The Transfers Podcast, can exclusively reveal.

With 10 goals across all competitions this season, Ramos is PSG’s leading marksman, but Unai Emery’s side are hopeful that the manager can use his connections to facilitate a move for the 24-year-old.

Villa, though, face potential competition from Crystal Palace, who see Ramos as a candidate to replace Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Ramos interested in Premier League move

Transfer insider Duncan Castles told The Transfers Podcast: “Ramos is something of a perennial presence in the market. He’s a high-profile striker who has scored consistently throughout his career. This season at Paris Saint-Germain he has six goals in 24 league and Champions League appearances, primarily off the bench. Last season he scored 13 in 34 games, despite being injured for several months.

“He doesn’t start regularly for PSG because Luis Enrique prefers Ousmane Dembélé in the central role for tactical reasons. Ramos has long been considered a good fit for the Premier League and has an interest in moving there.”

PSG resisting a deal

The Premier League sides are likely to be disappointed, with PSG unwilling to sell the €41 million-rated striker at this stage of the season.

“The guidance I have is that PSG are very much against a move at this point. They want to keep their squad intact for the remainder of the season, mainly because they don’t believe they can source a replacement of similar quality immediately,” Castles added.

“PSG are extremely effective in recruitment and tend to work on deals well in advance. They already have replacements in mind for Ramos, but they can’t acquire them now, so they don’t want to sell and will resist any approach.

“It’s also worth mentioning that Unai Emery and Gonzalo Ramos share the same agent, which can be helpful in facilitating a deal like this.”

Aston Villa are assessing other striking options, with Tammy Abraham, Youssef En-Nesyri and Crystal Palace’s Mateta all linked with a move to the Birmingham giants before January is out.

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