How much will Aberdeen’s Calvin Ramsay be worth next summer if Rangers recently rejected an £8m bid for Nathan Patterson?
Rangers reportedly knocked back an £8m bid plus add-ons from Premier League Everton for their 19-year-old right back in the final days of the transfer window.
The Ibrox club had previously kicked into touch a £5m offer from the Toffees for the Scotland international.
If that’s the cash English top-flight clubs are willing to splash out for exciting Scottish teenage right-backs, it raises the question as to how much 18-year-old Ramsay will be worth after a full season of first team action for the Dons in 2021-22?
Surely Ramsay will be worth more than double the Dons’ record fee received of £3m plus achievable add-ons when Scott McKenna transferred to Nottingham Forest last year.
That is not so outlandish when you factor in that club appearances for Ramsay and Patterson are almost identical.
In fact Ramsay edges some of the stats in the Premiership in terms of crosses made, interceptions and pass conversion rate.
Other than playing for a higher profile club in Premiership champions Rangers, and Patterson’s recent senior international break through, there is little to separate the talented full-backs.
Both Ramsay and Patterson are contracted to their clubs until summer 2024 having each signed extensions to their deals in January this year.
Crucially, though, Ramsay is likely to be a regular first-team starter this season as he appears to have cemented that right-back berth ahead of former Atlanta United defender Jack Gurr, whilst Ross McCrorie seems set to play at centre-back this season.
Ramsay’s stature, and value, will only go up this season if the teenager continues to produce the level of performance he has since his initial breakthrough.
In contrast Patterson is unlikely to get a regular start this season as right-back and Rangers captain James Tavernier is now back in the team after an injury lay-off.
Tavernier, 29, signed a new Rangers deal until summer 2024 in April so that is a situation that is unlikely to change.
Patterson has yet to play in the Premiership this season and his last game time was in the 0-0 Europa League qualifier draw with Alashkert.
That was because Tavernier was one of six Rangers players not to fly out to Armenia due to a Covid-19 outbreak.
With limited game time, Patterson could face a season of frustration, while Ramsay is expected to get regular starts and will hopefully thrive with that responsibility.
If Ramsay’s rapid career trajectory continues this season he could be a wanted man during the summer transfer window next year, or even January, – and the bid for Patterson must be used as a watermark for any approach for the Pittodrie teen.
However the Dons are understandably in no rush to sell one of the most exciting young talents in Scottish football as he has so much to give Stephen Glass’ side.
There are clear similarities between Ramsay and Paterson’s career paths to date, barring the Rangers defender’s emergence in the Scotland national side.
Both have made 11 starts each in all competitions for their club, with Patterson racking up another seven appearances off the bench and Ramsay six as a substitute.
In Premiership appearances they have almost identical game time with Ramsay slightly ahead on 364 minutes, just eight more than the Rangers right-back.
In the Premiership Ramsay has delivered more than double the crosses into the box, with 29 to Patterson’s 13. However the Rangers star has the far superior success percentage with three successful crosses to Ramsay’s four.
Ramsay has more interceptions and a slightly higher successful pass conversion rate.
What is clear is the emergence of both teenage right-backs is a major boost for Scottish football – and national manager Steve Clarke going forward.
Patterson impressed in his first start for Scotland in the 1-0 defeat of Moldova.
He would surely have started in the right wing-back role against Austria had he not suffered an injury in that World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Clarke already has two of the best left-backs in Britain, arguably Europe, in Andy Robertson (Liverpool) and Kieran Tierney (Arsenal).
In the near future he could have the same strength and depth on the right.
Scotland breakthrough for Ferguson
Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson earned a deserved first Scottish senior cap when coming on in the final minutes of the 2-0 World Cup qualifier loss in Denmark.
Although the 22-year-old received very little game time it was a major landmark in Ferguson’s career path.
Ferguson was introduced for Billy Gilmour in injury time and on the face of it that might seem like a pointless exercise.
The game was almost finished and with only a minute or so left Ferguson had little time to barely get a touch.
However it was the message that national boss Steve Clarke sent out to the midfielder that mattered.
In taking him on he underlined to Ferguson that he views him as a Scotland international and a player that he will use going forward.
That 90 seconds could be one of the most important in Ferguson’s career.
Ferguson is now a senior international and the confidence boost that brings cannot be underestimated or downplayed.
Thankfully Ferguson made his senior Scotland debut whilst at Aberdeen.
There was always that concern a club could come in with a late bid for the midfielder on transfer deadline day, the day of the Denmark clash.
Ferguson is now at Pittodrie until the January transfer window at the very least.
Chances are he will add to his cap tally before then.
Turn out to welcome the Tour of Britain
North-east sport fans are in for a treat on Sunday with the final stage of the Tour of Britain.
Tour de France legend Mark Cavendish will compete in the prestigious event which will begin in Stonehaven and end on Aberdeen’s Beach Esplanade.
Organisers chose to bring the event to the city following the success of the Ovo Energy Tour Series stages it hosted in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
The @AJBell photo of the day from stage two.
[📸 –> @swpixtweets]#TourOfBritain 🟢⚪🟢 pic.twitter.com/yC4Phmej6G
— AJ Bell Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) September 6, 2021
Landing this event is a major coup for the North-east and Aberdeen and I would urge people to come out in their numbers to watch what will be an exciting event.
Hopefully more events of this nature will come to the city and the North-east.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.