Craig Bryson is the marquee signing Aberdeen fans have been waiting for this window.
The arrival of the 32-year-old midfielder, who has years of experience in the English Championship, from Derby County will have given the Red Army a boost.
Before Bryson’s arrival, Aberdeen had signed Ryan Hedges, Ash Taylor and Curtis Main in the summer window.
It has been a decent start in filling the gaps and getting in the types of players who are needed to bolster the squad, but the Bryson move took things to the next level.
Hedges clearly has the potential to be a big success, having come from Barnsley, where he made more than 50 appearances and had been in demand.
However, we don’t know enough about him to get excited yet.
It’s really difficult to have an opinion about a player before you’ve seen them play.
Taylor and Main seem to have split opinion.
The former played for Aberdeen before, so we know his strengths and weaknesses.
Similarly, with Main being at Motherwell in the last couple of seasons, we know what he can do.
However, there’s been consensus Bryson is a class act who will improve the team.
Derek McInnes has had to rebuild his Dons team multiple times over the years with players leaving.
The departure of captain Graeme Shinnie, funnily enough to Derby, means the Reds have lost their midfield lynchpin.
It was McInnes’ most important task of the window to replace him, and he looks to have landed a gem in Scotland international Bryson.
He is a few years older than Shinnie, but I don’t think age is a barrier at 32 or 33 nowadays.
By all accounts, Bryson is very fit, so he will likely play a similar game to Shinnie – hard running, tackling and driving the team up the park.
Shinnie barely missed any games in his Aberdeen career and when he did he left a gaping hole in the side.
Bryson will likely be just as important. With his experience, he could also be a shout to replace Shinnie as Dons captain.
He has worn the armband for both Kilmarnock and Derby, and as I’ve said looks to be the type of player who sets an example in terms of giving everything week in, week out.
McInnes has maybe already made up his mind about his new skipper.
The likes of Scott McKenna and Joe Lewis, even Lewis Ferguson, who have been great servants to this point, will also be in the reckoning.
Whoever it is will have to want it desperately and relish the extra responsibility it brings.
With Aberdeen now back in pre-season training, it’s good these faces have been secured early doors.
The more time they have to get used to their team-mates, and for the team and coaching staff to get used to them, the more equipped they will be to hit the ground running.
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