Charlton Athletic backed to land 'premium fee' for Kayne Ramsay | OneFootball

FLW's Charlton fan pundit wants to see his club stand their ground in the Kayne Ramsay transfer saga, even with him in the final year of his contract

Charlton Athletic have already built on a top-10 defence from last season in the opening stages of the window, with three defenders arriving this summer.

However, Nathan Jones may have to take his focus away from strengthening the attack further, following the return of Karlan Grant, as he may be losing one of the lynchpins of his side over the past couple of years.

Kayne Ramsay was the Welsh boss' first choice at right-back in their promotion campaign out of League One in 2024/25, and last season, as the Addicks played a back-three, he became a useful option either at wing-back or even on the right side of the defence.

But Charlton will be facing a struggle to keep the 25-year-old at the Valley this summer, after reports stated that Serie A side Torino were interested in bringing him in.

With Ramsay entering the final year of his deal, foreign clubs can agree pre-contract agreements with him in January, so the Addicks are at a real crossroads when it comes to his future.

They must either tie him down to a new deal this summer, or sell him if they want to avoid losing him for free this time next year.

Charlton Athletic fan pundit wants Addicks to hold out for top bid for Kayne Ramsay, similar to Blackburn Rovers with Callum Brittain

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FLW's Charlton fan pundit, Chris Woodward, believes that their situation this summer mirrors that of Blackburn Rovers and Callum Brittain last year.

Brittain also had one year left on his deal, and when he refused to accept fresh terms, Blackburn sold him to Middlesbrough for a reported £3.5 million that summer.

Woodward wants a similar outcome if Charlton cannot get Ramsay to agree to a new long-term deal at the Valley, but still feels that they should be expecting a decent seven-figure fee for his services.

"Trying to be fair and realistic, Charlton should be holding out for a premium fee for Kayne Ramsay," he said.

"I think the benchmark is very similar to the price and situation with Callum Brittain from Blackburn to Middlesbrough last summer. For me, Ramsay is worth more, easily double that, but it has to be considered that he's in the last year of his contract."

Woodward gave a glowing report of the 25-year-old, branding him "the best defensive full-back" he's seen at Charlton since they were relegated out of the Premier League in 2007.

The fan pundit also believes that he'll be even better in Italy, given that the style of play in Serie A would mask some of his very few weaknesses.

"I think Ramsay would be very successful in Italy, despite an improvement in the level," he continued. "He's an exceptional footballer.

"The majority of Charlton fans would point out that his biggest flaws are his concentration and being far too relaxed on the ball, which can put him in dangerous situations. But in a league where teams are less likely to press and be aggressive, his biggest issues wouldn't be exposed.

"Ramsay is arguably the best defensive full-back I've seen at Charlton since the Prem days, and when he does leave, I'm sure he'll go on to have a phenomenal career."

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With three defenders already through the door this summer, including a right-back of a similar profile in Danny McNamara, perhaps Charlton are already preparing for life after Ramsay leaves.

It'll be incredibly difficult for the Addicks to persuade Ramsay to remain at the Valley if a top-flight Italian side comes in for him, so if Torino ramp up their interest, Charlton may be forced into a sale.

As and when that situation escalates, it'll be up to Charlton to ensure that they get an acceptable deal for someone integral to their resurgence under Nathan Jones in the last couple of years.

The 25-year-old arrived for a "significant" undisclosed fee in February 2024 from Harrogate Town. You'd imagine, given the North Yorkshire outfit's status, it would have taken a decent six-figure sum to take him to the capital.

So, holding out for a decent seven-figure fee would resemble profit and a good bit of business, especially if that money can be reinvested elsewhere, if replacements have already been curated in the background before the Serie A interest surfaced.