Aberdeen defender Mattie Pollock has hailed goal hero Duk as an “unbelievable powerhouse” who is the complete modern footballer.
And he insists attacker Duk is as lethal on the Dons’ Cormack Park training pitch as he is in the Premiership.
Centre-back Pollock should know.
He has to mark Duk in training every day and try to stop him scoring.
The 23-year-old has scored six times in a seven game winning run that has elevated Aberdeen to third in the Premiership table.
Signed from Portuguese giants Benfica last season, Duk has hit 18 goals in all competitions.
Duk’s goal-scoring form is attracting attention.
Everton and recently crowned Championship winners Burnley have placed Duk on their radar with the view to a potential summer swoop.
They are just two of a number of English clubs monitoring the striker who is contracted to Pittodrie until summer 2025.
Duk is also reportedly being tracked by Italian Serie A clubs Bologna and Spezia.
Pollock said: “Duk is an unbelievable player and a powerhouse.
“He is a beast and if you tried to mark him in training you would see why I say that.
“Duk is class and a great lad as well.
“I don’t know what he is going to do, I don’t think even he knows what he is going to do either.
“He seems to get out of every situation.
“Duk is strong and quick and has everything a modern football player needs.”
Duk and Bojan Miovki’s goal threat
Amid mounting speculation surrounding his future, Duk recently indicated he is happy at Aberdeen and in no rush to leave.
Aberdeen are also desperate to retain the goal hero to lead the bid for success next season.
Attacker Duk scored 11 times in 42 appearances for Benfica B in Liga Portugal B.
During his time with Benfica’s U23 side, he netted 18 times in 41 appearances.
However, he never made a first team breakthrough and Aberdeen swooped last summer to give the attacker a platform to shine.
Duk has scored the most headed goals in the Premiership with five.
Of his 16 Premiership goals 10 have been struck by his right foot, with just one on his left.
Duk is joint fourth in the Premiership scoring charts with Aberdeen strike partner Bojan Miovski.
North Macedonian international Miovski netted the second goal in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat of Rangers to take his league tally to 16.
Miovski, like Duk, has netted 18 in all competitions.
The Dons strike partnership trail Kyogo Furuhashi (Celtic, 23), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts, 21) and Kevin Van Veen (Motherwell, 20) in the Premiership scoring stakes.
Pollock said: “Duk and Bojan (Miovski) have been great and Marley (Watkins) can come on and change games.
“I can’t speak highly enough of all the boys, even the ones who don’t make the squad.
“When you go on a pitch with 10 of your best mates that’s a powerful thing.”
The belief in keeping clean sheets
It is not only Aberdeen’s attackers that are hitting form.
The defence are also delivering with six clean sheets in the recent seven game winning run.
It is a remarkable turnaround as Aberdeen had secured just six shut-outs in the 23 Premiership games under former boss Jim Goodwin this term.
Pollock, 21, arrived on loan from Championship Watford less than 48 hours after Goodwin was axed on January 28.
Aberdeen also secured centre-back Angus MacDonald, 30, on a short-term deal following his exit from Swindon Town. He has now committed his future to the Dons by signing a two-year deal.
Under the guidance of Barry Robson both Pollock and MacDonald have been at the heart of Aberdeen’s defensive revival.
Pollock said: “We believe we can keep clean sheets and if we do the basics well then we can do that.
“Yes, we have rode our luck at times in games but generally we have been very solid.
“We have confidence and are buzzing with what is going on but we have to focus now.
“The gaffer will have us working on things to improve on.”
‘Confidence is massive in football’
Under Robson’s guidance the Reds have risen from the bottom six to sit five points clear in third place.
Aberdeen have a tough post-split run of fixtures with away games against Rangers, Hearts and Premiership leaders Celtic.
The Reds also host Hibs and St Mirren at Pittodrie.
Pollock said: “We have built up some momentum and hopefully that can continue.
“Confidence is a massive thing in football and it can help get you over the line.
“Win, lose or draw you have to be confident.
“We are on a good run and in a good place.
“All we can do is our jobs and if we keep winning games the league will take care of itself.”
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