Aberdeen attacker Niall McGinn insists Scott Brown will raise the standards at Pittodrie.
The Celtic captain will move to the Dons from Celtic Park this summer to become a player-coach under new boss Stephen Glass, and McGinn, who played with Brown during his time at the Hoops, knows exactly what the incoming midfielder will bring to the team next season.
He said: “He will raise the standards for everyone, from the young ones to the experienced players.
“It will be about all of us being a collective unit and working together under the new manager and the new coach.
“He is just a born winner. He always gives 100% and he is the sort of guy who makes the players around him raise their game.
“He is a different type of character off the pitch from the one he is on it, but so long as he is performing for us, coaching-wise and on the field, it can definitely only benefit us.”
McGinn believes it is inevitable Brown’s drive and desire to succeed will be a welcome tool for incoming manager Glass and the Dons squad.
The Northern Ireland international is out of contract in the summer, but he hopes he will still be around to play in the new-look Dons side next season.
He said: “He has built up this immense experiences over the years – you can see that from the career he has had. I’m obviously a former team-mate of his, so I’ll be looking forward to working under him.
“He has this work-ethic: give your all and keep improving. We’ve always been like that at Aberdeen over the years, we’ve always had good characters in the squad who demand that intensity in training.”
Glass has spoken to several of the Aberdeen players prior to his arrival on Friday and McGinn is confident the new era will be a successful one.
He said: “The manager will come in with his new ideas, with different thoughts and maybe with different ways of playing.
“We want to get the feel-good factor back and play a nice brand of football.
“When the fans come back, we want to get them enjoying their football and enjoy watching their team with a smile on their faces. For us as players, it will be about going out and performing for them.
“Scott will bring that winning mentality, which has been here for a long time – if you are at Aberdeen you know you are at a big club. You know you are expected to win most games here and it should always be that way.”
Glass is isolating following his arrival in Scotland from the United States and McGinn is pleased the new boss will take over from interim manager Paul Sheerin with the Dons still in the hunt for the Scottish Cup following their 1-0 win at Dumbarton on Saturday.
McGinn said: “It’s massive to go through. If you go all the way and win the cup, these are the kind of games you look back on.
“You know how the Scottish Cup is – you always get a few shocks. So we’re delighted, and we definitely created enough chances to win the game.”