Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has hailed the Pittodrie board’s ‘bravery’ for holding their nerve during negotiations with Liverpool for Calvin Ramsay.
Teen right-back Ramsay has completed a deal that could be worth up to £8 million for Aberdeen.
Euro giants Liverpool will pay an initial fee of £4.5m for the 18-year-old.
Liverpool have also agreed a further £3.5m in appearance-related add-ons should Ramsay hit certain milestones at Anfield.
A sell-on clause of 20% has also been agreed with the English Premier League club.
Liverpool made an initial bid of £4m with add-ons that could take it up to £6m.
However, the Dons held firm during talks to get a higher price for the Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year.
Goodwin reckons it took ‘courage’ from chairman Dave Cormack and director of football Steven Gunn to push for a better deal with one of the biggest clubs in world football.
He said: “It showed a lot of bravery and courage to hold and and negotiate that big deal.
“The club can be very pleased with the business they have done.
“Calvin is the record transfer fee we have been able to take in up to now.
“So full credit to the chairman and Steven Gunn, the director of football, for the negotiations they had.
“It is a fantastic bit of business for the club.”
Welcome to Liverpool, @calvinramsay03 ✍😁 pic.twitter.com/uyreZRELfK
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 19, 2022
Club record transfer fee smashed
Ramsay signed a five-year deal with the English cup double winners who lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid last month.
The right-back, who has been given the No.22 shirt at Liverpool, passed a medical and finalised the transfer at the club’s £50m AXA Training Centre at the weekend.
The fee received for the Pittodrie youth academy graduate smashed the Dons’ club record. That had previously been £3m secured for the transfer of Scott McKenna to Nottingham Forest in September 2020.
The Dons scooped an additional £1m in add-ons this summer when McKenna secured promotion to the English top flight with Forest.
Ramsay is also the most expensive Scottish teenager ever.
That record had stood for eight years following Ryan Gauld’s £3m move from Dundee United to Sporting Lisbon in 2014.
Dons’ blueprint for sustainability
Goodwin reckons the development and sale of Ramsay is the blueprint which will keep Aberdeen sustainable.
He said: “It is really important that we continue to develop our own players.
“It is the way modern day football clubs become sustainable.
“If you can sell a player for a couple of million every couple of years, you are not relying on sponsorship money or prize money to keep the lights on so to speak.
“It has been a big step up from Calvin in a short period of time and the academy should be extremely proud of that.
“The academy has been brilliant for the club up to now.
“The chairman and the rest of the board also deserve credit for the level of investment they have made in Cormack Park.
“The guys at the academy deserve a big pat on the back for developing Calvin.
“Stephen Glass (former Aberdeen manager) deserves all the credit for giving Calvin an opportunity in the first team.”
Plenty to look forward to for @calvinramsay03 🤗 pic.twitter.com/jfu6eLcOEE
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 19, 2022
Competition to land transfer targets
As Aberdeen land the biggest transfer fee in the club’s history, focus intensifies on the hunt for new signings.
However, the Dons face competition to land their signing targets.
Goodwin has reportedly identified Tranmere Rovers right back Josh Dacres-Cogley as a replacement for Ramsay.
League Two Rovers are keen to retain the former Birmingham City defender and have slapped a £400,000 price tag on the 26 year-old.
Norwegian striker Tobias Lauritsen is a target and the Dons hoped to be closing in on a deal for the 24-year-old.
However, Aberdeen face strong competition from Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam in their pursuit of the Odds BK striker.
Reports in Norway claim Rotterdam have offered almost £600,000 for Lauritsen.
Hibs are also understood to be interested in the striker, who netted his fourth goal of the season for Odd in their 2-1 loss to Molde at the weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysAHkozIOvs
MTK Budapest’s North Macedonian international striker Bojan Miovski, 26, is also a transfer target for Aberdeen.
Clubs in Hungary, Russia, Belgium, Poland and Switzerland are reportedly tracking Miovski, who is contracted until summer 2023.
Czech Republic club Slavia Prague were keen on signing Miovski in January.
Celtic left-sided defender Liam Scales and Wigan Athletic midfielder Jamie McGrath are also on Goodwin’s radar, while Pittodrie boss Goodwin is keen on Wolves’ midfielder Connor Ronan, who spent a successful season on loan at St Mirren.
Hearts have also targeted Ronan and are understood to be in the driving seat for the midfielder as they can guarantee European football until Christmas.
Aberdeen have been linked with a move for former Blackburn Rovers midfielder Jacob Davenport, 23, who is now a free agent.
Goodwin is hoping to receive positive answers from transfer targets this week.
‘Fantastic young prospect’ Ramsay
While the board dealt with Ramsay’s transfer to Liverpool, Goodwin has been focused on strengthening his squad.
Goodwin said: “You never want to lose your best players and Calvin is a fantastic young prospect. He is not the finished article by any stretch and still has a lot of development to do.
“Calvin caught the eye in the first half of the season.
New home📍 @LFC pic.twitter.com/tpdGFgXA3l
— Calvin Ramsay (@CalvinRamsay) June 20, 2022
“I think he would admit himself (that in) the second half he wasn’t as productive in the opening four or five months.
“But that happens with young players – the inconsistency is there and he is only 18 at the end of the day.
“Physically, to play in the Scottish Premiership week in, week out is very demanding.
“Calvin is a great talent, there is no doubt about that.”
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