Niall McGinn is in no doubt Calvin Ramsay will kick on again if he was to seal a move to the Premier League this summer.
Champions League finalists Liverpool and rivals Leeds, who failed with a January bid, are both keen on Aberdeen ’s teenage right-back.
McGinn saw his then Dons team-mate Ramsay come through at the start of the season and then really shine – with his stats putting him amongst the best young full-backs in Europe.
Dundee star McGinn said of the Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year: “The sky’s the limit for Calvin.
“I have seen him develop as a young player coming in to be part of the first-team squad, training with them on a constant basis.
“Calvin has all the ability in the world so he just needs to listen to the right people, his team-mates and the experienced players in the group.
“As long as he is willing to learn and listen to team-mates – and the manager, obviously – then I am sure he will have no issues.
“Yes, you get all the speculation about different teams and stuff but knowing Calvin and how he is, he is a confident young lad.
“If you go on to a big team like Liverpool, Leeds, whatever you are going to be working with good managers and coaches on a full-time basis where you have the best of the best of everything.
“So it is important for him to just take everything in his stride and not get excited too soon.
“He just needs to keep the head down. Whatever happens will happen. You just wish him well if he goes on to bigger and better things.
“Fair play to him, he is having awards coming his way as well which is always pleasing for a young player and his confidence.”
Northern Ireland star McGinn moved from Derry to Celtic as a youngster and knows that if Ramsay seals a big-money move south, then patience will be key.
He said: “At the end of the day, he is going there to get better and learn from the best but it is also important if you go to these big clubs that you are patient.
“He can’t think he will go there and play every week – for the likes of Liverpool, I am sure there are four, five young lads pushing in the same direction.
“I know a young lad called Conor Bradley who has been in the Northern Ireland set-up and he’s a right-back.
“He is a very good player and has played a few times for Liverpool this season but he hasn’t been near the squad in recent weeks.
“So it will be tough for Calvin if he moves on but you want to wish him all the best if he does.
“The thing for him now is just gaining as much experience as he possibly can and he’s done that over the course of the season with European games and playing in the Premiership.”
