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.
Ramsay broke into the Aberdeen first team 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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Ramsay scored his first goal of the season in a draw against Dundee
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.
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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Former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor reacts to their Premier League fixtures including early ‘tough games’ against big rivals.
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.
