Boss Stephen Glass has warned Aberdeen will not be backed into a corner by a late bidding war for Calvin Ramsay.
A battle to sign Ramsay has started with Italians Bologna and Leeds United launching bids to secure the teen.
Glass insists Aberdeen will be strong in the remaining days of the window which closes on Monday at midnight.
Aberdeen will only only consider selling if the price, and conditions, are right.
Bologna have made an improved £4.8 million bid for the 18-year-old after a £3.3m offer was rejected last week.
Leeds have also reportedly bid around £3m but are willing to loan Ramsay back to Aberdeen for the rest of the season.
The Dons know they will land a club record transfer fee for Ramsay.
However they are unlikely to jump into any deal immediately with so much interest in the Youth Academy graduate.
Interest across Europe in Ramsay
Premier League sides Manchester United, Tottenham, Leicester City and Southampton all sent scouts to watch Ramsay in the 1-1 draw with Rangers last week.
Liverpool, Newcastle United, West Ham and Watford are also interested in the teen.
With German Bundesliga clubs Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt also tracking Ramsay a bidding war could erupt.
If other clubs are considering outbidding Bologna and Leeds, Glass insists the Dons would prefer if the offers came in now.
Glass said: “The club are strong and with the decision making that goes on higher up I don’t think they will be pushed into a corner late in the window.
“With the sums being chucked about if it starts getting to a level where I’m getting told then it might have to happen even if it is last minute.
“However if anything is going to be done we prefer it sooner rather than later.”
Ramsay in squad to face St Johnstone
Despite the fresh bids for Ramsay the teenager remains in Glass’ squad for Saturday’s home clash with St Johnstone.
For Glass it is business as usual, until he gets a message from the board saying the club have received a bid that could see Ramsay exit.
That hasn’t happened yet.
Glass said: “Calvin trained this morning as normal. It’s the same answer as before, it’s not at the level where I’m told that it’s getting close or anything.
“We’ll continue to prepare with Calvin in our group.
“As it stands I haven’t heard anything to say ‘be ready to have plans’.
“I’ve not got something in my head, with the team I pick, that I need to change anything based on Calvin’s situation.”
The mechanics of Ramsay bids
Bologna boss Sinisa Mihajlovic wants Ramsay in Italy this month.
However Leeds will look to loan Ramsay back to the Dons for the rest of the season.
The Italian top flight outfit are offering £830,000 ( €1m ) for an initial loan deal until the end of the campaign.
There would then be an obligation to buy for £3.3m (€4m Euros) at the completion of that loan.
Leeds, who had a scout watch Ramsay against Rangers, are understood to have offered £3m plus add-on bonuses.
Leeds would also offer high sell-on clause for any future transfer.
The sell on clause offered by Bologna is significantly less than Leeds.
Right-back Plan B ready if needed
Aberdeen have already lost two right-backs during the January transfer window.
Venezuelan international right-back Ronald Hernandez completed a permanent move to MLS side Atlanta United.
Hernandez had been on loan at Atlanta, Aberdeen’s strategic partner, since February 2021.
Right-back Jack Gurr, formerly of Atlanta United, also exited Pittodrie this month.
Gurr has returned to the United States to join Sacramento Republic.
Should a club win the race to sign Ramsay this month, Glass insists he has a right-back replacement lined up.
He said: “There’s a replacement in line for anybody if we feel we need to fill a hole.
“There are people within who can play there (right back) but we have got our finger on the pulse if we have to do something.”
Bologna’s Scottish full-back success
Ramsay has posted the most assists of any teenage defender in world football.
Bologna have already had success with a teenage Scottish full-back.
The Italian club signed Aaron Hickey for £1.5m from Hearts in September 2020.
Left-back Hickey, 19, has become a regular first-team starter for Bologna.
Now Bologna are determined to secure Aberdeen star Ramsay.
Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci recently said the Serie A club will only make more signings in January if they sell a player in a big-money deal.
They agreed a deal to sell £6m-rated Danish international winger Andreas Skov Olsen to Belgian side Brugge on Thursday.
That has paved the way for a fresh bid for Ramsay.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack previously indicated the club do not have to sell any player in the January transfer window, including Ramsay.
The Dons have consistently refused to put an asking price on Ramsay, although Bologna’s initial £3.3m bid was way below their valuation.
On the future of Ramsay, Glass said: “I’m involved in discussions but when it gets down to the nitty gritty of numbers other people decide that at the club, not myself.”
Valuable advice for in demand teen
Chairman Dave Cormack, Director of Football Steven Gunn and the board will deal with the bids for Ramsay.
With a race to sign Ramsay likely to accelerate in the remaining days of the transfer window Glass has given the teen valuable advice.
He has told Aberdonian Ramsay to block out all the transfer noise – and focus on the 90 minutes against St Johnstone.
Glass said: “I have spoken to Calvin but more on the performance level than the situation.
“I think it goes hand in hand.
“I spoke to him at training today, just dripping bits in here and there to shut all the stuff out for 90 minutes and just go and play.
“Do what you were doing in August before people were talking about you all the time.
“That’s all you can do and that’s all he should be focusing on anyway.
“But a little reminder here and there helps young players.
“Plus a lot of the video stuff we do of his actual performance level not just saying “get your mind off it” but showing him where he could and should have done better.
“And he has done well but showing him bits recently where he’s not been doing what he was doing earlier in the season.”
‘Ready to jump on anything affordable’
Aberdeen have made just two signings in the winter transfer window which slams shut at midnight on Monday.
Dutch winger Vicente Besuijen, 20, was secured on a four-and-a-half year contract from ADO Den Haag.
Midfielder Dante Polvara, 21, signed a two-and-a-half year contract having played for Georgetown University in the United States.
Glass says the club are ready to land signings if players become available that are within the Reds’ budget.
But the priority retains retaining players in the face of transfer interest.
He said: “We are ready to jump if we need to if something comes up that is affordable then yes but I think the priority is keeping what we’ve got.”
