Scotland's 10 most expensive departures outside of the Old Firm as Calvin Ramsay nears £8m Liverpool transfer
Calvin Ramsay is nearing an £8m move from Aberdeen to Liverpool – a deal that would rank as one of the most expensive in Scottish football history.
The under-21 international’s fee dwarfs almost every other deal conducted in Scotland outwith the big two – Rangers and Celtic – with one notable exception.
Transfers of Nathan Patterson, Odsonne Edouard, Virgil van Dijk and Kieran Tierney might command eight figures, but Ramsay is poised to become one of Scotland’s most expensive exports if he completes a move to Anfield –even his up-front £4.5m is considerable when it comes to provincial clubs. The Dons are believed to have agreed a fee rising to £8m with several clauses inserted from the initial offer and payment.
His breakthrough season has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp and his Merseyside colleagues and a move is closer, with Aberdeen holding out for a high price-tag after seeing Ramsay’s fellow Scottish right-back Nathan Patterson move south from Rangers for a fee rising to £16m.
Celtic and Rangers tend to dominate the spending – and the cash accrual – when it comes to transfer deals but here we look at the current top ten Scottish sales not involving the Glasgow giants – and discover exactly where Ramsay would rank among the sales outside the Old Firm.
There’s a familiar face or two, a few recent internationals and transfers too – plus a deal that is now more than 20 years old.
*All fees are according to transfermarkt or as widely reported at the time. Deals with undisclosed fees have not been included.
His breakthrough season has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp and his Merseyside colleagues and a move is closer, with Aberdeen holding out for a high price-tag after seeing Ramsay’s fellow Scottish right-back Nathan Patterson move south from Rangers for a fee rising to £16m.
5. £3m
Dundee United striker David Goodwillie moved to Blackburn Rovers in 2011 for £3m and also moved on loan to Crystal Palace from the Lancashire club. However he struggled at Ewood park, scoring just twice and returned to United, before moving to Clyde. Most recently at Raith Rovers in a transfer which hit the headlines earlier this year over his civil court rape ruling in 2017.
Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos
6. £3.1m
Boyle is the most recent non-Old Firm departure to enter the list after his lucrative move to Saudi Arabians Al Faisaly last season.
Photo: Ian MacNicol
7. £3.25m
Andrew Robertson so famously came through the ranks at amateurs Queen's Park after being released by Celtic as a youngster, but despite playing for the sake of the game he has also commanded healthy transfer fees since leaving the Spiders. He joined Hull City as one of Dundee United's highest-earning exports for £3.25m in 2014.
Photo: Mark Robinson
8. £4.2m
Steven Fletcher was attracting big names all over Europe but eventually moved from Hibs to Burnley in a £4.2m transfer. He later made lucrative moves to Sudnerland and Wolves in his career before ending up at Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke via Marseille.
Photo: SNS Group Steve Welsh