Liverpool have completed the signing of Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay for £6.5m.
Liverpool are paying an initial £4m up front with a further £2.5m coming in the form of add-ons.
The 18-year-old recently travelled to Liverpool to finalise personal terms and undergo a medical. The defender has signed a five-year deal at Anfield and will link up with Jurgen Klopp’s squad for pre-season. Liverpool have no plans to loan Ramsay out.
“I’m just buzzing and it’s a dream come true really to be here,” the defender told Liverpool’s official website after completing his move.
“It was a dream come true to play for Aberdeen, and now to be at one of the biggest, if not the biggest club in the world, it’s a massive achievement and I’m looking forward to trying to show the fans what I’ve got.
“Hopefully I can come in in pre-season, show everyone at the club, the staff, players what I’ve got and then we’ll see what happens from there.”
Ramsay broke into the Aberdeen first team in 2020/21 and made 33 appearances in the season just finished, scoring one goal and registering nine assists across all competitions.
His performances earned him the SFWA Young Player of the Year Award while he also has European experience through the Europa Conference League, along with U21 international experience.
Liverpool had been locked in talks with the Dons over the defender after making an initial £4m offer, with £2m in add-ons.
However, it is understood Aberdeen wanted at least £5m up front, with £5m in add-ons.
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But the £6.5m fee agreed ensures Ramsay will become Aberdeen’s record sale, surpassing their current record of £3m from Nottingham Forest for Scott McKenna. The Dons have also received an extra £1m for the centre-back this summer after Forest were promoted to the Premier League.
Ramsay becomes Liverpool’s third signing this summer after the arrivals of Darwin Nunez in a club-record £85m deal from Benfica and Fabio Carvalho, who signed from Fulham.
Sky Sports News revealed last week that Ramsay’s preferred choice was to join Liverpool, out of a number of interested clubs in England, Germany and Italy.
In January, Aberdeen rejected a bid for the player from Bologna – understood to be an £830,000 loan offer, with an obligation to buy for £3.3m.
‘One of the best young full-backs in the world’
Ramsay won the Scottish Football Writers’ Young Player of the Year award after an impressive season at Aberdeen
Liverpool have identified Ramsay as a long-term right-back rival for England star Trent Alexander-Arnold – a player Ramsay has highlighted as one of his biggest influences.
“As a full back, watching Trent and his crosses and his technical ability – if I can get to that level then it would be a bonus,” he said.
“Andy Robertson at Liverpool and (Kieran) Tierney at Arsenal have been brilliant and they’re players I look up to, especially as they are full-backs like me. I feel I could go on to do that as well.”
Speaking during the season, Dons manager Jim Goodwin wasn’t surprised by the growing interest in the teenager.
He said: “Prior to January, Calvin was probably one of the best young full-backs in the world to be perfectly honest. That is not an over-exaggeration.
“His stats, his data in terms of his attacking numbers, putting crosses in the box were incredible.
“He had a little dip in form. Whether that was because his head was turned in January with whether he was moving or not moving.”
Who is Calvin Ramsay?
Ramsay featured for Scotland under-21s this year
The youngster was one of the shining lights for Aberdeen as they endured a tough season in the Scottish Premiership ultimately finishing 10th in the table.
The 18-year-old produced some inspiring performances that showcased his natural talent, attracting interest from top clubs in England and Europe.
But Liverpool have won the race for the young player who is regarded by many as one of the most talented teenagers in European football.
He broke into the team in the 2020/21 season and made 33 appearances for the Dons over the campaign just finished, scoring one goal.
Ramsay made his European debut in a 5-1 victory over Swedish side BK Hacken last July in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier, starting at right-back and setting up the first goal.
‘Ramsay to challenge Trent at right-back’
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Sky Sports News reporter Mark McAdam:
“Calvin Ramsay is a hugely exciting young talent north of the border for the past 18 months or so. Nine assists which is really significant for a right-back. Jurgen Klopp is moving and shaping this transfer window at the moment.
“He’s been watched by a lot of Premier League sides over the last 18 months or so, and some in Europe as well. Klopp wants to sign good, talented players who are ready to jump into the first-team, but they also like hungry players with huge potential and Ramsay is that.
“This is not a player who Liverpool want to loan out and see if they can get into the team, this is someone to challenge Trent Alexander-Arnold immediately and want him to turn up on the first day of pre-season.”
“What this says for Liverpool is they have a plan and a strategy – you can see that in the philosophy in their three signings. Darwin Nunez is ready to rock and roll at the highest level, with Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay, you have two young, exciting players who are raw but talented.
“They don’t want to just sign finished ready-made players for the first-team, Klopp wants to develop players. Calvin Ramsay ticks all those boxes He’s an attacking full-back, that’s what Liverpool fans want to see. He’s right-footed, five foot ten, athletic and a big part of his game is assists. You see with Alexander-Arnold.
“We are talking glowingly about what Liverpool are doing in the transfer market. They’ve paid, in essence, £85m for Darwin Nunez but they’ve recouped a huge chunk of money with the sale of Sadio Mane.
“Liverpool have invested that money in Nunez and two young players. Take your hat off to Liverpool. If you are a Manchester United fan, Chelsea fan, Arsenal fan, you look at what Manchester City and Liverpool are doing and you’re saying: I’m jealous. I’m envious. This is good targeted business and they’re making early moves in the window and when Liverpool players come for pre-season, the young players will be able to gel.”
Liverpool fixtures: Reds begin at Fulham
Liverpool begin the 2022/23 Premier League campaign with a lunchtime trip to newly-promoted Fulham on Saturday August 6.
It will be the fourth season in a row in which Liverpool have started a new campaign against a Premier League newcomer.
But after then facing Crystal Palace, Jurgen Klopp’s side will take on Man Utd at Old Trafford on August 20.
September will feature away trips to both Everton and Chelsea in September and Liverpool will also face back-to-back clashes against Arsenal and champions Man City on October 8 and 15 respectively.
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Liverpool’s final game before the season stops temporarily for the winter World Cup will be against Southampton at Anfield on November 12 before returning to action at Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
The Reds then host arch-rivals United on March 4, before tricky-looking clashes in consecutive weekends at City (April 1) and against Arsenal at Anfield (April 8), before finishing the season at Southampton.
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer before the transfer window closes at 11pm on September 1?
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.