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EXCLUSIVE: Ylber Ramadani will become an idol at Aberdeen, says Albanian midfielder’s former manager

Albanian international Ylber Ramadani ahead of a clash with Spain in Barcelona in March 2022.
Albanian international Ylber Ramadani ahead of a clash with Spain in Barcelona in March 2022.

Albanian international midfielder Ylber Ramadani will become an idol at Aberdeen, insists his former manager.

Aberdeen have agreed a fee with Hungarian side MTK Budapest for the 26-year-old.

Ramadani has completed a medical at the Albanian national team headquarters in Tirana ahead of a Dons transfer.

Capped 15 times, Ramadani has agreed a two-year deal with Aberdeen with an option for a third.

Aberdeen are in the process of finalising his visa application.

Ramadani is currently with the Albanian squad ahead of Uefa Nations League games with Iceland, Israel and Estonia.

Holding midfielder Ramadani is set to become Dons boss Jim Goodwin’s first signing of a summer transfer window rebuild.

Italian manager Adolfo Sormani managed Ramadani at two different clubs – FK Partizani Tirana (Albania) and Vejle Boldklub (Denmark).

A former assistant to Gianfranco Zola at Watford, Sormani insists Ramadani is aggressive, committed, technically superb and a born leader.

Ylber Ramadani in action for Albania against Spain.

He said: “I worked in England with Watford so I know British football very well.

“In my opinion Ylber has everything to be an idol to the Aberdeen fans.

“I am 100 per cent sure Aberdeen fans will love him.

“Ylber is so aggressive and motivated.

“He is someone that becomes totally involved in what the club he is at wants to achieve.

“Ylber will become a leader at Aberdeen.

“That is what he did when I managed him at Partizan and in Denmark.

“Ylber will take advantage of a great opportunity to become an idol for Aberdeen fans.

“He will be very successful for Aberdeen.”

‘Ylber is very smart as a player’

Aberdeen boss Goodwin is set to overhaul an underperforming squad that slumped to a 10th placed Premiership finish.

Ramadani scored twice in 31 appearances for MTK Budapest in the Hungarian top flight last season.

He had transferred to MTK last summer from Danish top flight outfit Vejle Boldklub (VB).

Sormani, who worked with Ramadani for five years, insists Aberdeen will be signing a midfield enforcer.

He said: “Ylber is a holding midfielder and is at his best in that position.

“He is a very tactical player who is good in both phases with and without the ball.

“Without the ball he is aggressive and strong in interception.

“Ylber has an excellent sense of decision making and is very smart as a player.

“He knows how to play short in the box, he is very good at switching the play from one side to another.

“Technically he is very good and extremely effective.

“I like him a lot.”

Ylber Ramadani of Albania and Kalvin Phillips of England during a World Cup qualifying tie at Wembley on November 12, 2021.

Impressing in the Champions League

Sormani handed Ramadani a first team debut at Albanian outfit  FK Partizani Tirana in the club’s biggest ever European match in 2016.

He promoted the midfielder from the B side into the starting line-up for a Champions League qualifier against Ferencvaros of Hungary.

Many viewed it as a gamble. Sormani didn’t.

His faith in was repaid when the midfielder excelled in a 1-1 draw.

Ramdani started the next game, also a 1-1 draw with FK Partizani Tirana progressing via a penalty shoot-out.

It was the first time FK Partizani Tirana had won a Euro tie in 12 years.

In the next round Ramadani started both ties again as they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Red Bull Salzburg of Austria.

FK Partizani Tirana subsequently dropped down into the Europa League play-offs.

Ramadani started both games against Russian side FC Krosnadar, drawing 0-0 in Tirana and losing 4-0 away.

Former Napoli and Roma midfielder Sormani, 56, said: “I first met Ylber when he was 18 and I was at Partisan Tirana.

“We played the Champions League qualifiers.

“He was part of the second team and when I said I was going to play him everybody was worried as he was so young and no-one knew who he was.

“They said he shouldn’t play a game of that importance.

“I said ‘don’t worry, he is ready and will be a great player in the future’.

“He immediately had a fantastic impact.

“Ylber is extremely motivated.

“You can tell him one thing and a second later you can see he is totally involved in what you told him.

“He is a fantastic player to coach.”

A key role in title success in Denmark

Former Juventus coach Sormani rates Ramadani so highly he later brought him to  Vejle Boldklub in Denmark after taking over the managerial post.

In Ramadani’s first season in Denmark he played a pivotal role in winning the second tier title and promotion back to the top flight.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin is set for a summer squad rebuild.

Sormani said: “I took Ylber to Denmark and he adapted so quickly.

“We won the league. We started the season at the top of the table and finished at the top of the table in 2017-18.

“He was one of the stars in that title run.

“It was another  challenge for him because it was the first time Ylber went abroad but he adapted very quickly.

“He was a key part of the team.”

Ready for for challenge at Aberdeen

Talking from his home in Rome, Italy, Sormani also gave the run-down on Ramadani’s character off the pitch.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin is looking to bolster his midfield during the summer transfer window.

He said: “He is a great guy, a fantastic human being and a very good player.

“If you know him away from the pitch he is a quiet person.

“But when he goes onto the pitch you can see Ylber transform himself.

“He becomes very aggressive, very determined.

“He is ready for the new challenge at Aberdeen.

“It is a great opportunity for him to increase his level and show that he can play for an important club.”

Faced France, Spain and England

Ramadani previously played for Kosovo at U19 level and was called up to the Albanian U21 squad in August 2017.

A debut senior cap came in a 1-0 friendly loss against Norway on March 26, 2018.

The midfielder has faced nations including Spain, France and England in recent seasons.

Ramadani is expected to start for Albania in the UEFA Nations League tie away to Israel on June 6.

Sormani said: “He has now been a regular part of the Albanian national team for more than three years.

“Ylber has played international games against very important nations.

“He has taken advantage of that experience at international level to improve.

“That will be very important for Aberdeen.”

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