Phil McGuire reckons Liverpool’s move for Calvin Ramsay could see Aberdeen bag a top deal for one of Scotland’s brightest young talents.
He should know after being in this movie himself, only for a late deal to take him to Celtic to collapse.
Liverpool have now come to the table to make a bid for the 18-year-old defender.
The Premier League giants have gone in around the £3.5million mark but will go up to £4m up front and are willing to offer extras, which could be worth millions more, linked to Scotland caps and success at Anfield.
The deal is likely to go through, eclipsing Scott McKenna’s 2020 move to Nottingham Forest for a club-record fee.
And McGuire also knows it would be life changing for the teenager, working under Jurgen Klopp and his galaxy of stars.
The former defender said: “Calvin’s done exceptionally well and you can see why Liverpool want him.
“He has been in a good club for his development and to keep him grounded, which is clear to see.
“I liken his situation to big Scott. He has just won the play-offs and is now looking towards the Premier League.
“These opportunities will come for Calvin. It all comes down to the timing for the player and Aberdeen as well.
“You can see he is destined for big things and he has to make the right decisions. There is no doubt Liverpool would be a great opportunity for him.”
Ramsay saw a move to Serie A side Bologna fall through in January and McGuire is delighted he is now likely to get his rewards.
He too was a rising talent under Ebbe Skovdahl and could have been lining up for Celtic in the season they reached Seville had the last day of the summer transfer window gone differently.
He said: “Martin O’Neill was the manager in 2002, I was 22 then. You are trying to get deals done in hours.
“When it doesn’t get over the line, it is disappointing.
“But after that I signed a new contract at Aberdeen. You have to make your decisions and get on with it. Even if a deal isn’t agreed, Calvin’s still on a long-term contract so is protected. Liverpool and other opportunities will be there.
“And the good thing is Aberdeen will also be protected and rewarded for the work and development they have put into Calvin.”
McGuire emerged around the same time as Darren and Derek Young plus Kevin McNaughton. Ramsay and Connor Barron now lead those flourishing amid a focus on academy talent. He left in 2005 for a year at Doncaster and said: “Finances have changed dramatically.
“Even when I came back up from down south, there weren’t the same finances.
“I’d say football is better structured now at the lower-age groups because there are so many opportunities.
“We played for our boys’ clubs, went into Under-18s with clubs, reserves and then tried to get into the first team.
“You can see the benefit coming through with some of the Aberdeen players who’ve come through. The coaching and pathway is now a lot better but what the new
boys now lack is that playing with your pals and being that bit more streetwise.
“You see more coming through but a lot more falling through the gaps.”
