Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has been impressed by Arbroath midfielder Mark Whatley during a week’s trial at Pittodrie.
The 24-year-old school teacher has been training with the Dons all week.
He was signed by the League 2 Red Lichties from Lowland League side Spartans last summer by then manager Paul Sheerin, who now coaches the Dons under-20s.
Aberdeen could face competition from Dundee and other top-flight clubs for the player, who has made 29 appearances for Arbroath this season and is under contract until 2016.
McInnes said: “It has been great to have Mark in and he has been absolutely fine. We have enjoyed having him and he is someone we will keep an eye on, as we do with a lot of players in the lower leagues.
“We will continue to monitor his progress.”
Arbroath manager Allan Moore has no doubt Whatley is good enough to make the jump from the fourth tier of Scottish football to the top flight.
He said: “It’s a good opportunity for the player and we wouldn’t stand in his way.
“I know Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty really well and they asked if it was all right to take a look at him. Our former player Simon Murray moved on to Dundee United in January and there have been a few other teams sniffing about Mark.
“He has been the best player in our team for the last three months. He is a good lad as well, he works really hard and I have no doubt Mark has the quality to progress. I look at some of the players in the Premiership just now and without being disrespectful, he is certainly on a par if not better than some of them.”
West Brom loan defender Donervorn Daniels has recovered from the back injury sustained in last weekend’s 4-0 win against Ross County and will feature for the Dons in this Sunday’s match against Hamilton Accies.
The Dons can extend the unbeaten league run to 12 matches and McInnes added: “Donervorn has trained this week. We were trying to get him through to half time in the game against Ross County, but it was clear he couldn’t continue so we had to make the change.
“But he will be absolutely fine for Sunday.”