Funso Ojo has revealed he thought his Aberdeen career was over after being deemed surplus to requirements in the summer.
According to reports, the Dons accepted bids from Salford City and Wrexham for Ojo, which the midfielder turned down to stay at Aberdeen.
His squad number was also given to new club captain Scott Brown after his arrival from Celtic and a telephone conversation with manager Stephen Glass appeared to indicate his time in the Granite City was coming to an end.
However, Ojo’s fortunes have since been resurrected and he has started every game so far this season. He now says he has been told he is going nowhere, with his contract up at the end of the season.
According to a report in the Daily Record, he said: “In the week before the start of pre-season, I had an uncomfortable telephone conversation with the manager who told me my shirt number had gone to Scott Brown and on that basis, he judged I was superfluous.
“And although I was professional and worked hard, there were no signs at all that I could make him change his mind.
“An offer came from Salford City, but I didn’t want to go there myself. The club didn’t let me train for a few days to make sure I wouldn’t get injured and not jeopardise the deal, but I made it clear that I wouldn’t go there anyway. Wrexham made me an offer too, but I am too ambitious for that.
“Did the manager say that at the start of the season as I way to motivate me? Not at all, because the club even made me an offer to pay out part of my contract and split up. But I refused that too.
“There were two matches scheduled for the same day. The manager called me in and I was sure it was to repeat that I was out. But instead, he said: ‘I have to win games and I have the best chance of that with you on the squad. You play.’
“I had no idea where that came from. It’s part of football I guess and you won’t hear me complaining about it.
“The manager had an opinion and I proved him wrong. I’ve started the games and I’ve just been told I can’t leave now!”
Ojo has started alongside Brown and Lewis Ferguson – who handed in a transfer request this summer – so far for the Dons, with the only scare coming after he was taken off injured against Dundee United.
He was signed by Derek McInnes from Scunthorpe United in 2019, amid interest from Hibernian. Ojo spent the second half of the 20-21 season on loan at Wigan Athletic.