Aberdeen should sign captain Graeme Shinnie on a permanent deal before other clubs pounce, Pittodrie legend Russell Anderson insists.
Midfielder Shinnie secured his Reds return on a loan deal from Wigan Athletic until the end of the season in January.
The 31-year-old Scotland international is contracted to the Championship club until summer 2024.
Shinnie was previously captain of the Dons during a four-year spell at Pittodrie before moving to Derby County in summer 2019.
Former Reds boss Jim Goodwin brought Aberdonian Shinnie back to his home city in the winter transfer window.
Following Goodwin’s sacking, Barry Robson was placed in interim charge and quickly appointed Shinnie captain.
Anderson believes Shinnie’s all-action, committed style of play has been infectious and a catalyst for the upturn in the Dons’ form.
And he urged the Reds to snap him up on a permanent deal as other clubs will also be looking to land the midfielder.
Anderson said: “I would like to think Aberdeen would secure Graeme beyond the summer. And that they will be having those discussions behind the scenes.
“Unfortunately Aberdeen won’t be the only club that will be interested in him.
“And there will be other factors to take into account for Graeme.
“He has been very influential since coming back to Pittodrie.
“I would love if they could make it permanent – but only time will tell if they can.”
The influence of loan star Shinnie
Within days of taking on the interim manager’s role, Robson sanctioned the loan move of captain Anthony Stewart to MK Dons. He then handed the skipper’s armband to Shinnie.
Since taking on the captaincy, Shinnie has led the Dons to three wins in five games to leap the club back into contention for European qualification.
Anderson, 44, said: “Graeme has been very influential since he has been back.
“I’m not really surprised because we knew what kind of player he was before he went away to Derby County.
“After a few years in England, he has returned even more experienced.”
Change of Wigan boss since loan deal
Following his Aberdeen exit in 2019, Shinnie spent two-and-a-half seasons at Derby.
He played alongside and was also managed by England and Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney during this period.
Derby supporters named Shinnie their Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season.
Shinnie made 96 appearances, scoring six times, for the Rams before transferring to Wigan in January last year.
Rooney wanted to keep Shinnie, but had to let him exit due to the precarious financial situation at Derby.
The Rams were sitting second bottom of the Championship when Shinnie was sold, with the club having been deducted 21 points after entering administration.
Shinnie was signed by Wigan for a modest fee of around £50,000.
He helped Wigan win League One to earn promotion to the second tier.
However, Wigan have struggled this season and are bottom of the Championship.
Since Shinnie’s loan switch was completed, Kolo Toure has been axed and replaced by Aberdeen-raised Shaun Maloney as Wigan manager.
Former Hibs boss Maloney has yet to make a decision on whether he wants to retain Shinnie, who has a year left on his contract.
Shinnie’s family have moved back to Inverness, where he played before joining Aberdeen the first time around, and being closer to them will inevitably be a factor in any decision the midfielder makes.
How Wigan’s season pans out could also be a key factor.
If they are relegated to League One, Maloney may be forced to offload players.
That could open the way for the Dons to keep Shinnie at Pittodrie for a cut-price fee.
Shinnie’s style of play is ‘infectious’
Anderson believes Shinnie’s influence and attitude has been a catalyst for a return of confidence within the Reds.
He has also witnessed the midfielder’s passion engage the supporters.
Which is why Anderson, Aberdeen’s League Cup-winning captain in 2014, believes it is so vital the Reds secure Shinnie on a permanent contract.
He said: “The way Graeme plays is infectious to all his team-mates.
“You could maybe argue that was perhaps missing before he came back.
“His style of play helps players around him and they feed off that, as do the supporters.
“I think it makes a big difference when you have the supporters and players all singing from the same hymn sheet.
“It does make a massive difference to the confidence of the players, as they feel like they are all going in the same direction.”
Conversation