Tyrone Mings has posted an emotional and pointed message on Instagram following the sale of his Aston Villa teammate and academy graduate, Jacob Ramsey, to Newcastle United.
The defender's cryptic but powerful words hint at a deeper story behind the transfer, which was driven by Aston Villa's struggles with financial fair play rules.
The £44 million deal for Ramsey's transfer, which was officially confirmed over the weekend, has been met with mixed emotions from Villa players and fans.
While many understand the club's need to sell homegrown talent to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the loss of a player who has been at the club since the age of six has clearly left a mark.
In an Instagram story, Mings posted a picture of himself and Ramsey, with the caption:
“Don’t wanna hear any bad words or anything negative on his name. You don’t know the half…”
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This succinct but poignant message suggests that there were unseen factors at play in the transfer, and that Ramsey's departure was not his primary choice.
The post was met with a flurry of supportive comments from fans and other players, including a comment from fellow Villa teammate John McGinn, who said:
"It's a sad day losing a top player and a person and one of our own - but it seems to be the way football is set up these days!"
The sale of Ramsey is a perfect example of how the Premier League's financial regulations are forcing clubs to make difficult decisions.
The £44 million fee for Ramsey, a player who came through the club's academy, is recorded as pure profit on Villa's books, providing a crucial injection of funds to balance their accounts.
While Unai Emery had reportedly wanted to keep Ramsey, the club was forced to sell him to a domestic rival.
Mings' post serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of these financial decisions.
While the transfer is a significant coup for Newcastle and an excellent opportunity for Ramsey, it has left a void in the hearts of his teammates and fans.
The comments from Mings and McGinn show the depth of the emotions and the loyalty that Ramsey had at the club.
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