St Mirren face a battle to carry on to their brightest younger academy star Dylan Reid with Portuguese giants Benfica eager to prise him away from Paisley.
The 17-year-old has impressed within the stripes each time referred to as upon this season, having made a historic debut in opposition to Rangers final season having simply turned 16.
The teenage midfielder has already loved a trial with Benfica, who completed third within the Primeira Liga, in addition to German powerhouses Bayern Munich.
St Mirren supervisor Stephen Robinson admits the membership are on the mercy of the funds of Europe’s greatest soccer golf equipment with Benfica stepping up their bid to tempt him to change Paisley for Portugal.
However he's eager to hold on to the Scotland Below-17 expertise for so long as attainable.
Robinson mentioned: “Dylan is definitely nonetheless our participant and can stay so till somebody tells me totally different.
“We’re on the mercy of the larger golf equipment sadly. That’s the way in which of the world they usually purchase them youthful and youthful.
“They purchase boys at 14, 15, 16 and we’re not answerable for that. All we will do is attempt to deliver them on.
“Dylan has all of the attributes to be a prime participant however he’s nonetheless a really younger boy. It will be unfair to place an excessive amount of stress and expectation on him.
“He’s going away to the Euros with the Scotland Below-17s quickly. Hopefully he goes and enjoys that and he’s a part of the first-team squad right here subsequent season.
“Hopefully we will develop him right into a first-team participant as a result of he's nonetheless a child.
“Dylan trains with us on daily basis. He wasn’t enjoying with Queen’s Park so we introduced him again to the primary group.
“St Mirren is a membership that provides pathways to younger gamers, that’s very clear and there’s a great job being carried out by our academy.
“In the event that they’re ok, they’ll play right here.”