Happy new transfer window. The bells have rung to welcome in a new year and as 2023 begins so, too, does Aberdeen’s annual winter reshuffle.
If the 2022 January transfer window is anything to go by, it should be a busy old time for the Dons director of football Steven Gunn, head of recruitment Darren Mowbray and manager Jim Goodwin.
Last year’s window was one of reducing a bloated squad. Matty Longstaff, Austin Samuels, Ronald Hernandez, Jack Gurr, Niall McGinn, Ryan Hedges and Dean Campbell all headed out of Pittodrie as former Dons boss Stephen Glass rung the changes.
Vicente Besuijen was the big-name recruit from Dutch football and he was joined at Pittodrie by American Dante Polvara and loan signing Adam Montgomery.
The first “new” face, however, was Connor Barron, who was recalled from an impressive loan spell with Kelty Hearts.
Defence is the priority for Aberdeen
This time around it seems much more straightforward for Dons boss Goodwin in his first January window as Aberdeen manager.
Forget Christmas, the defence has been a Jekyll and Hyde affair for Aberdeen fans so far.
Shareholders felt so strongly the manager was quizzed about the clear weakness of the team at the club’s annual meeting in December.
Tranmere Rovers full back Josh Dacres-Cogley could be one option for the Dons.
The right-back has been on Aberdeen’s radar for the better part of six months and with his contract ticking down, the Dons are expected to make a move to sign him on a pre-contract.
Should that happen, expect Aberdeen to make an offer to Rovers to bring the attacking wing back in this month if they can.
A central defender is also on Goodwin’s shopping list, with Burnley’s out-of-favour Kevin Long linked with a move to Scotland.
Hibernian are also reportedly interested in the 32-year-old, who is out of contract at Turf Moor in the summer and it is not hard to see why.
He is a Republic of Ireland international with years of Premier League experience.
But it is clear he is surplus to requirements at the Championship club under Vincent Kompany.
Whether he makes a move north, however, remains to be seen.
Could loan deals be made permanent?
Again, Dacres-Cogley would provide some much needed competition for Jayden Richardson on the right hand side, but it is clear another central defensive player would not go amiss either.
A switch in October to a back three has resulted in Ross McCrorie – generally viewed as a central midfielder by most – playing alongside Liam Scales and captain Anthony Stewart at the back.
But behind the trio is the untested Jack Milne and precious little else.
The fact the Dons have had to leave Scales out of their team when facing his parent club Celtic shows how threadbare the options in central defence are.
Scales has impressed on his loan from the Hoops and Aberdeen are keen to make his move permanent, and the arrival of Japanese left-sided central defender Yuki Kobayashi to Celtic on a five-year deal from Vissel Kobe suggests his parent club could be tempted to agree a deal with the Dons.
Hayden Coulson, who is in the final year of his contract at parent club Middlesbrough, could be a tougher task, though.
The winger-turned-left-back is 25 in the summer and needs to be playing regular football at this stage of his career.
He would get it at Pittodrie, but his impressive displays may lead to interest from other clubs in England for his services.
There is a third loan player out of contract this summer in the form of Leighton Clarkson.
The Liverpool playmaker has found his feet in Scottish football following a disappointing loan spell at Blackburn Rovers last season.
A product of Liverpool’s youth academy, Clarkson has been at Anfield since the age of seven.
Whether he sees his future in Scotland, however, is unclear.
Attacking duo look prime prospects for departure
In terms of potential departures, two spring to mind in Christian Ramirez and Marley Watkins.
Both have been used sporadically in the campaign and are in the final six months of their deals.
It would suit all parties to move them on this month, but both Ramirez and Watkins may choose to wait it out until the summer when they will be free agents.
Elsewhere, the return of Callum Roberts from a hamstring injury – whenever that may be – will push another summer recruit, in Shayden Morris, further down the pecking order.
A long-term project, the diminutive Englishman with pace to burn remains a raw talent and one who would benefit from some regular game time somewhere.
At this point, he finds himself in the same situation as Samuels did a year ago: a player who arrived with bags of potential, but struggling to realise it.
Samuels got his career going again following a move to the Highlands with Caley Thistle. Perhaps a short-term move can give 21-year-old Morris the spark he needs following his summer arrival from Fleetwood Town?
But in terms of the attack, don’t expect too much activity down Pittodrie way.
With Bojan Miovski, despite a recent drop-off in form, and Luis “Duk” Lopes both playing starring roles, the Dons are well covered for finishers and there is ample supply of attackers behind them.
Unless a big-money offer for either lands on Gunn’s desk, expect the duo to continue as the main men in the second half of the season.
Where Ramirez fits into the picture, however, remains unclear.
He was so far out of the picture he could have been an extra in Frozen – but he did make his first starting appearance since July in the goalless draw against Ross County on Monday.
Despite that, it will not come as a surprise to anyone if he does move on this month.
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