Former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes believes Calvin Ramsay will leave the Granite City before the close of the January transfer window.
But he hopes his former club will be able to secure the return of the rising 18-year-old on loan for the remainder of the season.
The rampaging right-back, valued at £4m, is on the radar of a clutch of clubs including Manchester United, Leicester, Bologna and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Scottish full-backs are en vogue with Kieran Tierney, Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson and Andy Robertson turning heads in recent years.
Ramsay showed off his many qualities in the 1-1 draw with Rangers and a host of scouts were in place to watch him against the Premiership champions.
Speaking on Sky Sports, McInnes said: "He's a terrific kid, he comes from a good family and has a really good agent who looks after him.
"He has obviously got himself in the team this season. His best form of defending is his attacking, like most modern full backs. That will appeal to a lot of teams in England.
"I think he will go in this window. The money potentially there for Aberdeen will be tough for him to turn down. The hope for Aberdeen is that they get him back on loan, and that he will still be an Aberdeen player to help them this season.
"The quality from the wider areas, the energy to get forward. Sometimes his defensive positions could be tighter, but he is only young; that will come with time.
"He players like a winger in the opposition half and the best full-backs do.
"I do expect him to go in this window. There will be a lot of scrutiny on him in the January window, and sometimes an injury can set a boy back.
"Aberdeen rate him so highly and you see the Nathan Patterson money, and they will be looking for something similar, but you would have to put up and argument of why not?
"I think it will be of a value of £4m-£5m. For clubs in England that's not a huge investment."
