No-one has ever doubted the ability and potential of Ryan Gould but a £3m deal for the Dundee United prospect is one of the biggest transfer stories in the history of the Scottish game.
The 18-year-old is in Lisbon to discuss a move to Sporting Lisbon that could transform his life as well as giving Dundee United their biggest cash boost since banking £4m from Rangers (IL) for Duncan Ferguson.
Celtic have been monitoring Gauld, as have most English Premiership clubs, but £3m is a lot of money to invest in potential with other more obvious needs required as the qualifying process for the Champions League begins.
Gauld was given his first start by Jackie McNamara just 15 months ago but his close control and natural ability made him stand out from others in the latest batch of players to emerge as Scottish football tightens it’s belt giving kids like Gauld a proper chance of making the grade.
The then 17-year-old marked his debut with a goal in a 1-1 draw at McDermid Park with scouts throughout the business keeping tabs on his development ever since.
It wasn’t too long before the phrase ‘mini-Messi’ was being used with McNamara having to make careful use of the player as supporters and the media demanded to see more while the manager had to balance the need for results with the development of a frail looking teenager.
Before Christmas 2013 United enjoyed a purple patch of form, regularly hitting opponents for four goals, with Gauld the star turn in an emerging team that brought comparisons with the excitement created by the team Jim McLean created in the early eighties.
Twelve months ago United were pleased to pick up £900,000 from Derby County for Johnny Russell but with Gauld on a long term contract the club are on the brink of a windfall that could cover their youth programme for the next five years.
Portuguese football looks ideally suited for the next stage in the development of a player without a full international cap to his name and with under 30 starts in senior football.
The success of Gauld would be a massive shot in the arm for Scottish football giving clubs access to realistic transfer fees that can allow them to make ends meet and justify further investment in youth development.
While some Dundee United fans will be unhappy at losing their brightest prospect in years McNamara and the board of directors will be hoping that the deal goes through allowing the club to stabilise and re-invest to build on the improvements of the last 18 months at Tannadice.
