Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, with the player’s agent approaching those at Villa Park.
What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Ramos?
Villa have already made a start on their summer transfer plans by reaching an agreement with Youri Tielemans, who will officially become a Villa player on July 1 when his Leicester City contract expires.
The club have now brought in former Sevilla sporting director Monchi as Villa’s president of football operations and he will work closely with manager Unai Emery.
A new attacker was previously the club’s top transfer priority, and it looks as if a new striker could arrive over the coming months to rival or possibly partner Ollie Watkins during Emery’s first full season in charge which will include Europa Conference League football.
According to The Sun, Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes is working hard to get Ramos a Premier League move, with Manchester United offered the striker’s services.
However, Mendes has also approached Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham, with Benfica set to demand £80m for Ramos, a figure which would smash the transfer record at Villa Park.
Who is Goncalo Ramos?
Ramos is just 21 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket from €8m to a career-high €50m over the past two years.
Sponsored by Nike and under contract until 2026, the Portugal international progressed through Benfica’s academy and has now made over 100 senior appearances for the club. He has scored 41 goals and provided 16 assists during that time, with 19 of his goals coming in Liga Portugal last season.
Ramos, dubbed a "monster" in the media, has also starred on the international stage, scoring a hat-trick in last year’s World Cup in Qatar after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI.
You can see why a move for Ramos could appeal to those in the Midlands, especially with Watkins linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days. Villa enjoyed a brilliant resurgence under Emery but scored just 51 goals in their 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, the fewest out of the top 10 sides.
Therefore, bringing in someone like Ramos to bolster the club’s attacking ranks could be an extremely shrewd move, however, should a move materialise over the coming months, you’d expect he would arrive at a big cost, with many expecting immediate results.
