Liverpool are monitoring Aberdeen defender Calvin Ramsay following an impressive breakthrough season in the Scottish Premiership.
The 18-year-old, who made his senior debut this season, has featured 31 times for Aberdeen during the current campaign, both domestically and in the Europa Conference League. And despite the Scottish outfit ultimately enduring an underwhelming campaign, the right-back’s performances have been a ray of positivity and earned him admiring glances from elsewhere.
When recently asked about his future, the Aberdeen starlet said: “It’s all been good because growing up it’s all you want to do — play first-team football, then hopefully get a big move one day in the future."
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Reports recently linked Liverpool with a summer move for the Scotland Under-21s international, with the ECHO understanding that Ramsay is indeed on the Reds’ radar as they weigh up potential summer business. However, interest has not gone beyond that at this stage with the teenager one of a number of players under consideration.
Meanwhile, Liverpool will hold talks with Neco Williams this summer before making a decision about the Wales international’s future. The right-back joined Fulham on loan in January and has shone for the Cottagers, making 14 appearances and helping them clinch promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking earlier this week.
The 21-year-old was available for transfer both last summer and in January, with the club willing to let the defender leave to cement his international place for Wales with the 2022 World Cup on the horizon. But despite being willing to listen to starting bids of £10m, the Reds failed to receive any suitable offers and ended up loaning Williams out on January transfer deadline day.
Julian Ward was heavily involved in the move to get it over the line before the transfer window closed, as Liverpool sanctioned the temporary exit purely to maximise the defender’s playing time. And, under the watchful eye of loans and pathway director David Woodfine, the Reds have been delighted by the Welshman’s progress at Craven Cottage, with the loan considered a huge success and Anfield bosses very impressed by how Fulham have looked after their player.
The ECHO understands Liverpool are in no rush to sell Williams following the success of his loan and are happy to keep him at Anfield, with the defender’s preference ultimately to stay at the club. However, his move to Fulham has only enhanced his desire for regular starting football.
With Wales potentially competing in this winter’s World Cup in Qatar, such a prospect will only increase his desire to play further. And both parties are aware that such a scenario might not be possible with the Reds, with the possibility of game-time behind Trent Alexander-Arnold remaining limited.
Club insiders expect Fulham to be interested in retaining the 21-year-old’s services next season following their promotion, but there have been no discussions with the Cottagers or Williams regarding a permanent transfer at this season, while they aren’t the only club interested in his services. Meanwhile, while a second loan exit has not been ruled out, it is the least desirable option for both club and player.
The Reds will hold talks with Williams in the summer to discuss what his role at Anfield would look like before coming to a decision about his future. If it is decided that it would be best for the defender to move on in search of starting football, he will only be sold if a club matches Liverpool’s valuation of the player.
And the club have no desire to cash in on Williams or sell him on the cheap, considering him a valuable asset as they weigh up their summer transfer business. Anfield sources point to the fact he is a first-choice international full-back who has played in various positions at the highest level, is under a long-term contract until 2025, is still only 21 and counts towards the Reds’ homegrown quota as both reasons to retain his services and why it would take a significant offer for them to sanction a permanent exit.
As a result, Williams is expected to link up with Jurgen Klopp’ s squad for pre-season, with Liverpool still considering him a valuable first team player and a decision about his future ultimately on hold until after conversations between player and club have been held.
