Scott Burns Clubs have talent for banking cash as stars emerge

KERR SMITH joining Nathan Patterson in bagging a big-money Premier League move shows Scottish football is now heading in the right direction.

Both transfers prove our game is producing top talent and clubs are commanding premium transfer fees again.

The fact that Dundee United have bagged a possible near £2million for Smith from Aston Villa is great business.

United sporting director Tony Asghar did well to maximise the value of a player who played less than 20 firstteam games.

It comes on the back of Rangers bagging a club record fee for Everton for Patterson.

Patterson is a Scottish international but wasn’t a regular in the Rangers team yet Ibrox sporting director Ross Wilson sealed an eventual eightfigure transfer fee.

Another big transfer could happen with Calvin Ramsay at Aberdeen, who is attracting interest from the Premier League and Europe. When he eventually leaves Pittodrie it will be for another club record fee.

Brexit has helped Scottish clubs because the big English sides can no longer stockpile young players from across the globe.

They have to look closer to home and that is why more young Scottish players are getting an early opportunity.

It also means that Scotland’s clubs can get more for their players.

Before they were held to ransom but now Patterson and Smith prove market values are rising, and significantly.

That is good for every club going forward.

It should put an end to the type of shameful bids Watford tendered for Aberdeen’s Lewis Ferguson and Josh Doig of Hibs in the window last time around.

Both clubs stood firm and made sure they weren’t stung by the Hornets and that has been for the greater good of our game.

There is no doubt that at 17 Smith is a talent, which is why Villa have decided to take a chance on him.

For Steven Gerrard’s, that transfer fee is a drop in the ocean but for a club like Dundee United it is massive at a time when cash is tight following the financial impact of Covid.

It will allow them to reinvest in the first team and is likely to see them get the Premiership’s top scorer Tony Watt in this window.

Another crucial point is that owner Mark

Our game’s producing top players and clubs are getting premium fees again

Ogren’s plan is to build around their academy and this is the first big sale from that.

It is also unlikely to be the last.

United are bringing top youngsters through and more and more top English clubs will start looking at Tannadice to try and snap up the next Kerr Smith.

It will also help United attract better younger players, knowing there is a genuine pathway to the big time.

It is the same at Rangers where their academy was criticised for not producing players until Patterson bucked that trend.

Scotland is becoming fashionable and more players will be given their chance to shine.