Aberdeen aim to step up their bid to sign Liam Scales to ensure the Celtic defender is at Pittodrie for the start of pre-season training.
The Dons have targeted a permanent contract move for the 23-year-old left-sided defender.
It has been reported any move for Scales could be delayed until the Parkhead side get more players back from injury.
However the Dons are keen to push through a deal quickly.
Manager Jim Goodwin and his squad will return for pre-season training late next week before a warm weather camp in Spain.
Goodwin ideally wants Scales on board for the first day of pre-season as his summer recruitment drive ramps up.
Scales signed for Celtic from Irish side Shamrock Rovers in a £500,000 deal last summer and is contracted until summer 2025.
However he only managed 13 appearances in that first season at Parkhead.
It is understood Scales is open to a Pittodrie switch to gain regular starts at a high level.
Preferred option is a permanent deal
Aberdeen’s preferred option is a permanent deal for Scales and the expected transfer of Calvin Ramsay to Liverpool could help fund that.
However the Dons are also open to a potential loan to buy deal for Scales.
That would see Scales spend a season on loan at Pittodrie before joining Aberdeen permanently.
It is a deal that has worked for Aberdeen previously.
Midfielder Ross McCrorie arrived from Rangers in summer 2020 on a loan to buy deal.
Aberdeen boss Goodwin has targeted Celtic stopper Scales as part of his summer transfer window rebuild.
He made signing a left-sided defender one of his main priorities in the window.
Goodwin recently admitted Scotland international David Bates was forced to play out of position for most of last season due to the lack of fit left-sided defenders.
Most expensive Scottish teenager
Meanwhile Premier League giants Liverpool are in talks with the Dons about a transfer for Ramsay.
Aberdeen are prepared to hold out for their valuation of the Scotland U21 international.
However a deal is expected to be completed soon between Aberdeen and the six-time European champions.
The fee will be a new record for Aberdeen, smashing the £3 million received for Scott McKenna’s transfer to Nottingham Forest in September 2020.
It will also make Ramsay the most expensive teenager in Scottish football history.
Ryan Gauld set the record at £3m when he joined Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon at the age of 18 from Dundee United in 2014.
Summer transfer window targets
Goodwin and his recruitment team are working on a squad reconstruction.
Wigan Athletic’s Republic of Ireland international midfielder Jamie McGrath and Ipswich keeper Vaclav Hladky are both targets for loan moves.
Wolves midfielder Connor Ronan, who was on loan at St Mirren last season, is also on Goodwin’s radar.
However Hearts are understood to be in pole position to land Ronan as they can offer European football until Christmas.
Aberdeen have also renewed their interest in soon to be out-of-contract Blackburn Rovers midfielder Jacob Davenport.
Former Dons manager Stephen Glass was interested in the 23-year-old during the January transfer window.
Now Goodwin and his recruitment team are keeping tabs on Davenport’s situation.
Aberdeen also enquired about St Mirren defender Charles Dunne but the Buddies have slapped a £350,000 price tag on him.
Active signing targets across Europe
The Dons recruitment team have been scouring Europe for summer signing targets.
Albanian international Ylber Ramadani has signed on at Aberdeen in a £100,000 deal from Hungarian side MTK Budapest.
Midfielder Ramadani penned a three-year contract and is the first capture of Goodwin’s summer rebuild.
Aberdeen have active summer signing targets across Europe.
Conversation