Aberdeen should be careful they do not price themselves out of a sale for Calvin Ramsay.
I was intrigued by Bologna’s interest in the Dons right-back and the reported £3.3 million they are willing to pay for him seems about the going rate, for me.
It’s always tough trying to assess a player’s value, as I guess it comes down to what other clubs are willing to pay for him.
I could fill this page with the list of clubs who have been to watch the teenager in action, but Bologna are the first to make their move.
Aberdeen will be hoping the other parties tracking Ramsay firm up their interest so that a bidding war develops, but I’m not sure if the offers will be much higher than the opening bid from the Italian club.
Ramsay is a talented player but if you are a club looking to sign him you are effectively buying potential at this point.
Scott McKenna left the club for Nottingham Forest a couple of years ago for £3m and that was as a Scotland international with a significant number of first-team appearances under his belt.
Ramsay, having broken into the team at the tail end of last season, has not made it past the 12-month mark yet in terms of first-team experience.
I also wonder if a move to Italy is one he would relish.
It would certainly be a different experience for him but I know from speaking to my former Dons team-mate Gary Smith how hard he found the language barrier after leaving Aberdeen for French side Rennes in 1996.
If other clubs do come forward and Ramsay has options, I would urge him to look to England, if possible.
There is a chance Aberdeen turn down the bid, of course, and with a week to go until the window closes, it is shaping up to be an interesting week at Pittodrie.
Dons face a busy final week of the window
Mikey Johnston of Celtic is the latest player to be linked with a loan move to the Dons and I can see the appeal of that for all parties.
It’s no secret the Dons are looking to strengthen the wide areas and, at 22, Johnston could fit the bill, especially if Ryan Hedges does move on in the next seven days.
Blackburn Rovers remain the favourites to sign him and the only question seems to be whether it will be a pre-contract or he will leave in this window.
The arrival of Vicente Besuijen from ADO Den Haag was a welcome addition to the attacking options for the Dons, but we all know January is never an easy month for managers, as trying to add to the squad while navigating a busy run of fixtures can be tricky.
Stephen Glass must be happy with how his players have returned from the winter break, though.
His players followed up a fine performance against Rangers in the 1-1 draw at Pittodrie with a terrific display against Edinburgh City in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
They won’t get many plaudits for doing what was expected but some of the football was outstanding and the build-up and finish for Christian Ramirez’s goal was fabulous.
It shows the confidence in the camp ahead of a big game at St Mirren tonight.
Mixed bag for Ross County
It has been a mixed week for Ross County following their return to action, with the club pulling off a stunning 3-1 win at Motherwell only to exit the Scottish Cup with a whimper at Livingston on Saturday.
I was at Victoria Park last midweek to watch the 10-man Staggies rally to beat Well in a thriller.
Declan Drysdale’s debut was as good a first game as I’ve seen from a player.
He was fantastic against Motherwell. He has a good touch, reads the game well and has future captain written all over him.
I could not praise him highly enough after watching his first game, so you imagine how disappointed I was to see him at fault for Livingston’s winning goal on Saturday.
He was caught out by the ball over the top and County paid the price for a poor display.
Malky Mackay will be frustrated at seeing his team’s cup commitments end at the first hurdle, but I hope the confidence from the recent performances in the league is not dented.
The Staggies have a vital game against Dundee United at Tannadice tomorrow and they know a win there will take them to within a point of Tam Courts’ side.
It would be another remarkable step forward following a slow start for the Staggies, and I’ve seen enough of them in recent weeks to believe they can get a result in this one.
Dropped points are starting to mount up for Inverness
Caley Thistle’s struggles against the teams in the bottom half of the table continued with a frustrating draw at Dunfermline on Saturday.
The Pars have had a horrendous season but they are unbeaten in three meetings with Caley Jags so far, while Hamilton Accies can boast two wins out of two from their two games against Inverness.
It must be so frustrating for Caley Jags boss Billy Dodds, as those dropped points are beginning to add up.
Inverness are still in good shape in second place in the Championship, but the margin for error is getting smaller with each passing week and the club could really do with putting two or three wins together just now.
Taking their chances is the first step towards achieving that.
In the games I’ve watched recently, they have not been able to make the most of the periods when they have been on top.
That has to change.
