Former Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay is ready to reignite his career at Preston after an injury-ravaged debut season at Liverpool.
Ramsay has joined Championship club Preston North End on a season-long loan from the six-time European champions.
And the 19-year-old faces a race against time to be fit to make his Preston debut in an emotional game against former club Aberdeen.
The Dons, who Ramsay insists it was a “dream” to play for, face Preston in a friendly at Deepdale on Saturday.
Ramsay moved to Liverpool last summer for a club record fee of £4.5 million that could be worth up to £8m to the Dons with future add-ons.
The teen’s time at Anfield was initially hampered due to a stress fracture in his back.
On returning to fitness he featured against Serie A giants Napoli in the Champions League and started a League Cup game against Derby County.
However he then suffered a knee injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Ramsay told the Preston North End official website: “It was a tough season. When I first went there I had the stress fracture in my back.
“Then I trained, played a few times then got the knee injury.
“Now I’m hoping to put that all that behind me to try to show what I can do.
“Get a lot of game time behind me (at Preston) then go back to Liverpool.
“The Championship is a top league and one of the most competitive.
“It will be tough but I am capable of coping with it and am ready to show that.
“Preston is a great club. I went to game on Saturday and met all the boys.
“They all seem like good lads and I can’t wait to get started.”
Race against time to face Aberdeen
Ramsay made his Scotland senior international debut when introduced at half-time in a 2-1 friendly loss to Turkey in November last year.
However the defender underwent knee surgery in February that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
The full-back has been working over-time at Liverpool to get back to match fitness.
He admits he faces an uphill battle to be fit in time to face Aberdeen on Saturday
Ramsay said: “I am very close, I am almost there.
“Maybe a week, maybe two, maybe less.
“But I don’t think it will be more than two weeks before I am back.
“I have been back for a while now doing individual training and stuff.
“When I was away on holiday I was doing stuff as well.
“I haven’t done much team training but I’ve been working hard with my coach at Liverpool trying to get my fitness and sharpness back.
“I think it is getting there and I’m getting closer by the day so I am ready to go almost.”
‘All I wanted to do was play for Aberdeen’
The fee for Ramsay from Liverpool smashed the previous club record of £3m received for the transfer of Scott McKenna to Nottingham Forest.
Aberdeen received a further £1m when McKenna earned promotion to the English top flight with Forest last summer.
Ramsay was named Scottish Football Writers’ Association young player of the year in 2022 following a superb breakthrough season at Pittodrie.
He contributed nine assists in 33 appearances.
Ramsay said it was always his dream to play for Aberdeen and he is looking forward to seeing old friends and team-mates on Saturday.
He said: “It was a dream (to play for Aberdeen) as it is a good, big club.
“As I am from there all I wanted to do was play for Aberdeen and to get the chance to do that was amazing.
“My family were all proud.
“It was massive and it is not often a player comes from Aberdeen or any Scottish club really to play for a club like Liverpool.
“It will be good to see some old friends and the manager Barry Robson I know very well.
“He is a brilliant coach.
“With the fans at Deepdale and the Aberdeen fans as well it can’t get much better than that.”
Ready to make an impact at Preston
Ramsay agreed to join Preston more than a month ago, but the deal only started on July 15 with the teen having spent pre-season with Liverpool so far.
He said: “To be fair it (the deal) all went quite quickly.
“I was on holiday and I got a call from my agent and within a few days really I basically signed a contract.
“I was wanting to get out on loan and play games.
“For my development that is the main thing, to try and get as many games as I can.
“To come here, it’s a good league, a good club, and I’m just ready to work hard and try to get in the team.
“Preston is almost similar to Liverpool with the press and how they want to play so it is the ideal club.”