Out-of-contract Aberdeen midfielder Ethan Ross is currently on trial with Premier League side Southampton, according to the Daily Record. 

The 19-year-old had been with Aberdeen since 2011, and has gone to make 12 senior appearances in total for them, in a spell full of ups and downs over the years.

The 19-year-old's contract with the Scottish side reached a conclusion at the end of the 2020/21 season, and departed the club in search of a new adventure.

He has been offered a new deal with Aberdeen, but it looks as though he's got his eyes set on a move into English football in the near future.

Ross has been linked with a move to both Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers earlier this summer, according to a report from Football Insider. 

Sunderland were condemned to another season in the third tier, after being beaten by Lincoln City in their play-off semi-final, whilst Blackburn finished 15th in the Championship table last term, whilst under the management of Tony Mowbray.

But they could potentially be fighting a losing battle to strike a deal with Ross, who has been training with Southampton in the last few weeks according to the Daily Record.

The Verdict: 

This will be an irritating update for both Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers.

They would have been hoping to strike an agreement to sign Ross this summer, but given that he's been training with Premier League side Southampton for a number of weeks now, that could hint that a move to the Saints is edging closer.

I've been impressed with what I've seen of Ross in the early stages of his senior career, and it's a bold call to make the decision to turn down a new contract with Aberdeen this summer.

Ross will be hoping that it can pay off, and he's clearly a player with a bright future ahead of him if Southampton are taking a keen interest in landing his signature.