Aberdeen teen star Calvin Ramsay is not fazed by links to English top flight Everton, insists boss Stephen Glass.
Everton manager Rafa Benitez had the 18-year-old watched in the 2-0 loss to Motherwell and is understood to be plotting a January swoop for Ramsay.
English Premier League sides Leicester City, West Ham and Southampton are also reportedly monitoring the teen right-back.
Glass praised Scotland U21 international Ramsay for being ‘level headed’ and ‘taking everything in his stride’ as big name clubs set him on their radar.
He is confident the teen is happy at Pittodrie and will continue to blank out the ‘outside noise’ of speculation to focus on starring for the Dons.
Ramsay is contracted to Aberdeen until summer 2024 and Glass urged him to continue to progress at Pittodrie to become a ‘top, top professional’.
Glass said: “Calvin is so level headed and is taking everything in his stride.
“To me that is of the biggest importance, for that to continue, to blank out the outside noise that is going on about him and his performance level.
“He’s happy to be an Aberdeen player and delighted with the progress he’s making at the minute and the attention he gets here.
“Some of the stuff he is doing well is because of being straight forward in games – he does what he does and he’s going to be a top, top professional.
“He knows what he needs to do to get to where he wants to be.
“To be honest, I don’t know where he wants to be long term.
“Whatever is going to happen for him long-term it’ll be based on what he does here in a red jersey.”
Ramsay will be a top, top professional
Everton boss Benitez is understood to have turned his attention to Ramsay after a bid of around £8m for Rangers’ Scotland international right-back Nathan Patterson, 19, was rejected in the summer.
Ramsay only made his first team debut in March but his meteoric rise continued with a debut Scotland U21 cap last week in a 1-1 Euro U21 draw away to Turkey.
After impressing in the loss to Motherwell, with Everton’s scout present, Ramsay is understood to be high on Goodison Park boss Benitez’ signing wish list.
The teen started all six Europa Conference League qualifiers and has started four of Aberdeen’s five Premiership games to date this season.
Glass said: “We’re delighted with what Calvin is giving us.
“I don’t see any reason to start talking to him about this might happen or that might happen.”
Late fitness test for Austin Samuels
Ramsay was substituted in the 63rd minute of the loss at Motherwell having suffered from cramp.
The right-back is set to be fit for the Premiership clash against St Johnstone at Pittodrie on Saturday.
Welsh international attacker Ryan Hedges is out of the Saints clash with a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of the last six games.
On loan Wolves attacker Austin Samuels will be assessed in training today having missed the loss to Motherwell.
The 20-year-old former England Youth international Samuels suffered an injury in training 48 hours before the ‘Well game.
Glass will give the attacker every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the Saints clash.
He said: “There are no fresh injuries.
“Austin has a chance of playing, we will see how he reacts to the week’s training.
“He picked up a little injury in training and we would have used him last week (against Motherwell) if he was fit.
“It will be the same this week.
“We will give him every chance to be fit and we hope he will be fit.”