Newcastle agree £40m deal for Aston Villa's Ramsey

Newcastle are close to signing Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey in a deal worth about £40m.

BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that the clubs were in advanced talks over the proposed deal for the 24-year-old.

An agreement in principle has now been reached, with just finer details left to complete.

Once signed off, Ramsey will complete the formalities, including a medical, of the move to St James' Park.

Villa host Newcastle in their opening Premier League game at 12:30 BST on Saturday.

Ramsey, a former England Under-21s international, has scored 17 goals in 167 appearances for Villa since earning his senior debut in 2019 and was a regular for Unai Emery's side last season.

Newcastle have also signed winger Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest and AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw on permanent deals this summer.

England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, meanwhile, joined the Magpies from Southampton on a season-long loan earlier this month.

Ciaran Kelly, Newcastle United reporter

Newcastle United are now on the verge of making as many first-team signings in the space of a week as they did in the opening couple of months of the window.

That is a statement worth repeating.

The Alexander Isak saga continues to rumble on, but the progress Newcastle have made in recent days serves as a huge boost for Eddie Howe following such a frustrating summer of knockbacks.

Newcastle completed a move for Malick Thiaw earlier this week and the club are now closing in on Jacob Ramsey.

Ramsey, like Thiaw, is a player Newcastle have admired for some time and you sense that the midfielder has all the ingredients - the age, the athleticism and the desire - to go to another level at St James' Park.

Ramsey will give Newcastle some added depth in the middle of the park following Sean Longstaff's departure and, crucially, the 24-year-old can plug in seamlessly, having already played in both the Premier League and, of course, the Champions League.