Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists he has contingency plans to sign ‘ideal replacements’ if Calvin Ramsay or Lewis Ferguson exit in the summer.
The Dons are braced for multi-million moves for Ferguson and Liverpool-linked Ramsay in the upcoming transfer window.
New boss Goodwin views both players as pivotal to his plans going forward.
However, he accepts every player has a price – and if the Dons’ valuation is matched Ramsay and Ferguson could exit in the summer.
And Goodwin has warned circling clubs his top stars will not leave on the cheap.
Top clubs looking towards Pittodrie
Liverpool are the latest club to be linked with teenage right-back Ramsay.
Quadruple-chasing Liverpool are understood to be targeting a summer move for the 18-year-old.
Italian Serie A club Sassuolo also sent a delegation of scouts to watch Ramsay last month.
Another Italian top flight club, Bologna, had a £4.8m bid for Ramsay rejected during the January transfer window.
Bologna could make a fresh bid for Ramsay in the summer.
Aberdeen have also been told to brace for a £3.5m bid by Serie A Cagliari in the summer for Scotland international Ferguson.
Cagliari sent two delegates to watch Ferguson in action last month.
Goodwin said: “There are a lot of clubs out there that are looking at those two players in particular.
“Good players will always have teams interested in them.
“That is just part and parcel of the game we are in.
“Obviously every player has a valuation and if that valuation is met and it works out well for both parties then we will consider it.
“However, if offers that are made are not satisfactory then the player will be going nowhere.
“We will have contingency plans in place and will be prepared for whatever does happen.
“We will make sure we will have ideal replacements if we do lose any players from the squad.”
Bologna bids for Ramsay rejected
In January, Aberdeen rejected a £3.3m bid from Bologna for Ramsay.
The Italian club came in with a further move and proposed to take Ramsay on loan for £800,000 until the end of the season.
They wanted an option to make the deal permanent this summer for £4.8m.
That proposal was not acceptable to the Dons.
Ultimately Aberdeen emerged from the winter transfer window with Ramsay still at Pittodrie.
Tottenham, Leicester City and Southampton all sent scouts to watch Ramsay in the 1-1 draw with Rangers in January.
🚀 Calvin Ramsay 👏🏽
⚽ A first ever Aberdeen goal for our @AberdeenFCYouth Academy graduate.#StandFree | @calvinramsay03 pic.twitter.com/NwkhzPBjpw
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) April 3, 2022
Leeds United, Manchester United and Leicester City are understood to have given serious consideration to late January bids.
Other English top-flight clubs tracking Ramsay were Newcastle United, West Ham and Watford.
German Bundesliga outfits Eintracht Franfkurt and Hoffenheim were also keen on the Pittodrie youth academy graduate.
Ultimately an anticipated late January bidding war for Ramsay, contracted to the Dons until summer 2024, did not materialise.
Back-up for Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool were also tracking Ramsay in January, but are now set to ramp up their interest in the summer.
The Anfield side are reportedly targeting Ramsay to develop as cover for first-choice right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Right-back Neco Williams is currently on loan from Liverpool at Championship leaders Fulham.
Liverpool are reportedly willing to let Williams, 21, leave on a permanent deal.
That would open up a slot as back-up to 23-year-old England international Alexander-Arnold.
With Williams out on loan, Liverpool are currently without a back-up for that right-back position.
Manager Jurgen Klopp has had to play centre-back Joe Gomez and midfielder James Milner at right-back at times this season.
Cagliari target move for Ferguson
Meanwhile, Aberdeen have been told to brace for a £3.5m summer bid for Ferguson from Cagliari.
Cagliari, currently fourth bottom of the Italian top flight, sent two representatives to watch the Scotland cap in the 3-1 defeat of Hibs last month.
Ferguson, contracted to the Dons until summer 2024, scored twice in that game.
Cagliari have been tracking Ferguson for 18 months and are set to make a move.
The midfielder’s agent Bill McMurdo had discussions with Cagliari’s representatives after that game against Hibs.
Ferguson, 22, has been identified as a replacement for Uruguayan midfielder Nahitan Nandez who is expected to leave Cagliari this summer.
Aberdeen knocked back an offer of under £2m from Watford for Ferguson in May last year.
The midfielder subsequently slapped in a written transfer request, which was also rejected.
Since then Ferguson has broken into the Scotland set-up under Steve Clarke and scored 14 goals this season.
Goodwin accepts the reality is that, no matter how important to a team, every player has a price.
He said: “I couldn’t tell you right now that those players definitely won’t be leaving in the summer.
“I don’t want to make any statements like that, because everybody has a price.”
Barron could also attract interest
Goodwin believes Ramsay and Ferguson won’t be the only Aberdeen player attracting attention in the summer.
He reckons teenage midfielder Connor Barron, 19, could also on the radar of clubs.
Barron has been a standout performer since making his first team breakthrough earlier this year.
He has started all seven games Goodwin has managed since he arrived at Pittodrie in mid February.
Barron, who penned a new contract until summer 2024 in January, made his Scotland U21 debut last month.
Goodwin said: “I’m quite sure Connor Barron will be catching the eye of a lot of teams as well, because he has had a fantastic season.
“We just need to wait and see what comes.”
