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There was a moment in Aberdeen's League Cup exit at the hands of Raith Rovers that told of how far Calvin Ramsay had come since his debut in March.
The 18-year-old was brought on with 15 minutes to go as part of the rested cavalry to try to rescue the game, as the Championship outfit led 2-1.
One of Ramsay's first touches saw him jink past one player and play a one-two before getting in a near-post cross as the away support leered from behind the goal in anticipation.
Minutes later, he took up the same position and received the ball as the defenders this time backed off. The teenager threw his arms up in frustration at the lack of options to pass to - and the supporters roared in anger with him.
There were no heroics at Stark's Park as the club exited the competition with a whimper, but already Ramsay had become Aberdeen's go-to man in their hour of need, from right-back, and the man the fans expected something from.
In the months since his impressive debut against Dumbarton, Ramsay has reportedly come on the radar of Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Leicester, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bologna. A fee of £4m has been talked about.
So why are Europe's top clubs taking notice of the Aberdonian? And could he depart the Scottish Premiership club before reaching 30 senior games?
Ramsay is a player who passes the scouts' mythical 'eye-test'. He looks comfortable on the ball and is strong with both feet.
Aberdeen recently posted a clip of Ramsay scoring from 30 yards with his weaker left foot while playing for the youth sides and another of him as a 13-year-old performing an array of skills in his garden.
He takes Aberdeen's corners and some free-kicks. His deliveries were crucial in the team scoring well-worked set-piece goals in the Europa Conference League qualifiers against Breidablik and BK Hacken.
Only four players have more assists in the Premiership this season and Ramsay has played significantly less football than all of them, having missed eight games with a hamstring injury.
James Tavernier and David Turnbull are the only ones who produce more key passes per game than Ramsay, who led the league in the statistic before his injury. He also ranks fifth for crosses per game.
All these statistics show his value in attack, plus his dribbling ability draws fouls and he sits well down the list of players who are dispossessed often.
Despite all the positives, there is plenty to work on, as one might expect for an 18-year-old. He's yet to score a senior goal - albeit that is not critical for a full-back - but more importantly is his vulnerability from crosses to the back post.
While not slight, he is still developing physically and does not have the same presence as Nathan Patterson, who recently moved from Rangers to Everton and is two years older.
But those who have worked with Ramsay say he has an edge to his game and a competitive drive that sets some young players apart.
Aberdeen have a naturally talented player on their hands who has plenty of room to develop. Ideally, the club would like to keep him for a few seasons to help them on the pitch and increase his value.
Fans would naturally be disappointed to see him leave given his 10-year association and support for the Dons, as well as his ability. But the pandemic has left Aberdeen with a financial hole to fill. With big clubs circling, they are braced for bids.
"Would I expect offers in January? I wouldn't be surprised, let's be honest about that," manager Stephen Glass said.
"He's in a similar position to a lot of young players in Scotland in that they're attractive to clubs down south. They see it as a very affordable option up here, they get incredible value when they come to this league."
Ramsay signed a contract extension a year ago to take his deal at Pittodrie up to 2024, so Aberdeen are in a strong position in terms of securing a good fee.
The club broke their own record sale last year when Scott McKenna joined Nottingham Forest for about £3m and chairman Dave Cormack will be determined to bring in more if Ramsay moves on.
"We don't need to sell players in January, I can tell you that right now," he said. "In saying that, if the right price comes along for the right player and we have the ability to replace that player, then it is something we would look at.
"He's in the elite upper bracket for a young right-back in Europe. Right up there across Europe and they are seeing that. That's why we believe there will be a lot of interest, although we have not had a call from everyone yet."
