Talks over a new contract for veteran defender Andy Considine are still ongoing, confirmed manager Jim Goodwin.
The 34-year-old Scotland international’s Dons deal expires in the summer.
Considine has fought back from an eight month injury absence having suffered cruciate ligament damage in August.
The defender ended his injury hell when named as an unused substitute in the 3-1 defeat of Hibs prior to the international break.
Since his appointment as Dons manager in February Goodwin has already handed new contacts to Ross McCrorie and Jonny Hayes.
Now Goodwin aims to reward long serving Considine with a new contract and talks are progressing.
The Dons boss also insists Considine’s return will put pressure on centre-backs David Bates and Declan Gallagher to continue their recent form.
And Goodwin says Considine will be “breathing down their necks.”
Goodwin said: “Negotiations are ongoing.
“Andy Considine has been a good servant to the club and is an experienced player.”
Considine set for 20th Dons’ season
Considine ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) when catching his studs in the surface in a 1-0 Europa Conference League play-off loss to Qarabag in Azerbaijan.
The Dons lost the return leg 3-1 at Pittodrie to exit 4-1 on aggregate, missing out on the lucrative group stages.
Considine underwent surgery days after sustaining the injury in the August 19 tie.
Now in his 19th season in the first team Considine has racked up 569 games for Aberdeen.
Only club legends Willie Miller (797), Alex McLeish (693) and Bobby Clark (595) have played more times for the Reds in the club’s 119 year history.
Returning Considine training well
A contract extension would surely see Considine leap-frog legendary keeper Clark to sit third in that legend’s list behind only Gothenburg Greats Miller and McLeish.
Goodwin said: “Andy has trained for the last three weeks back in with the group.
“He has trained well.
“It is good to have him back.
“The two centre backs who are in at the moment, Bates and Gallagher, have been excellent.
“They came in for a lot of criticism prior to me coming here.
“However it looks as if the two of them are starting to buy into what we are asking them to do.
🏃🏽😅 @AberdeenFC pic.twitter.com/oCXn2DqsaE
— Andrew Considine (@AndyConsie4) January 7, 2022
“It looks as if they have got little bit of confidence and self belief back.
“I suppose having someone like Andy breathing down their necks now is probably spurring them on as well.
“They know if they don’t keep up the consistency they have shown in recent weeks there is someone waiting there in the wings to come in and take their place.”
Internationals return fit and ready
Considine will be available for selection for tomorrow’s Premiership clash at bottom club Dundee.
Aberdeen sit 10th in the table and have two games remaining before the split – against Dundee and Ross County at home.
The Reds’ top six bid hinges on winning at Dens Park in a huge match that could determine the outcome of the season.
Goodwin is relieved three first team starters returned unscathed from recent international duty.
Midfielder Lewis Ferguson made a first Scotland start in the 2-2 friendly draw with Austria on Tuesday.
Teenagers Connor Barron, 19, and Calvin Ramsay, 18, also started for the Scotland U21’s that day in a 2-2 Euro qualifier draw in Kazakhstan.
The duo then had a nine-and-a-half hour flight back from Almaty.
Goodwin said: “The players that went away on international duty all came back with a full bill of health.
“There is always that concern about them.
“Calvin Ramsay and Connor Barron had a lot of travelling as they were away to Kazakhstan.
“A little bit of jet lag and a little bit of fatigue.”