Ylber Ramadani is Aberdeen’s first summer signing but unfortunately it seems like Calvin Ramsay is heading for the exit door.
The Dons have recruited Albanian midfielder Ramadani from MTK Budapest.
However it seems unlikely the new addition will play alongside full-back Ramsay with Liverpool closing in and other clubs also interested.
It’s an important transfer window for Aberdeen and for manager Jim Goodwin.
A number of players have left the club after a hugely disappointing campaign.
Goodwin is trying to rebuild and the players he recruits need to be capable of improving Aberdeen’s fortunes.
At 26, Ramadani is at a good age and has good experience in other leagues so hopefully he’ll settle quickly in the Granite City.
From what I can gather Ramadani is an energetic and tenacious midfielder who also has quality when in possession.
Those attributes sound similar to what Graeme Shinnie gave the Reds during his tenure at Pittodrie.
Players with that mentality and work rate are critical to the success of any team.
As a player, Goodwin made the game difficult for his midfield opponents and I’m hoping Ramadani will be similar.
Until we see the Albanian international playing in red it’s hard to make a judgement on him because we’ve seen in the past other players who have done well abroad but have struggled in Scottish football.
Maximising Ramsay deal
When it comes to Ramsay, if the Dons can get £6million plus significant potential add-ons and a sell-on clause then that is good business.
I know some would rather keep Ramsay or believe he is worth more, but for an 18-year-old with only one season of first-team football under his belt, I feel £6m as well as the extras is about right.
For the player a switch to Anfield is also potentially life-changing.
Football is a short career and you don’t know when chances like this might come again.
If Ramsay goes to Liverpool and realises the potential he has shown in the Granite City he could become an English Premier League regular.
I’ve been in a situation similar to Ramsay when Aberdeen sold me to Everton in 1972.
I didn’t want to leave Pittodrie but the club told me the £180,000 fee they received would keep them afloat for three or four years.
It’s similar now, Aberdeen would rather hold on to him, but with the money involved, it makes sense to sell if their valuation is met.
As well as the initial fee, the add-ons and sell-on clauses are so important for the Dons.
Scott McKenna helping Nottingham Forest get promoted to the English Premier League has banked the Reds £1m.
Aberdeen ultimately are a selling club and the important thing if young players are going to move on is to maximise what the club gets from the deal.
Nations league success has to be target
The top spot in the Uefa Nations League has to be the aim for Scotland.
The national side defeated Armenia 2-0 at Hampden to start their Group B1 campaign with three points.
Winning the section would guarantee a play-off spot in the bid to qualify for the 2024 European Championships.
Although victory against Armenia at the national stadium doesn’t make up for the disappointment of losing to Ukraine in the World Cup play-off it was a good response from Steve Clarke’s side.
The opposition weren’t great, but some of the players that came into the Scotland team did their chances of becoming regulars no harm.
Scott McKenna, John Souttar and Jack Hendry all did well enough in defence and must now be putting pressure on the likes of Grant Hanley and Liam Cooper.
One negative of the display was that Scotland should have won by more than two goals.
When the Scots tackle Ireland tomorrow they will need to be more clinical.
Following the trip to Dublin, the Dark Blues face Armenia in Yerevan on Tuesday and securing two more wins needs to be the aim.
We’ve seen the importance of the Nations League previously, it helped Scotland qualify for Euro 2020, and success in this group could be pivotal in the quest to reach another major tournament.
Cove can get it right
It’s an important time for Cove Rangers as they search for a new manager.
Paul Hartley has departed for Hartlepool after leading the Aberdeen outfit to two titles in three seasons.
Next term Cove will be in the Championship and whoever ends up in the hotseat at the Balmoral Stadium needs to ensure the progress that has been made in recent years doesn’t go to waste.
Cove have a good squad, but they will be a part-time club in a predominantly full-time league, which can be challenging.
But there’s no reason why they can’t be competitive in the second tier and I’m sure chairman Keith Moorhouse will make a shrewd appointment.