If Aberdeen sign Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson on a permanent deal, it would be a magnificent transfer coup.
Clarkson has been outstanding for Aberdeen during his season-long loan and clearly has a very bright future ahead of him.
It would be an audacious move to land him on a permanent deal, but – if that is not possible – a loan return for next season would still be a boost.
That Aberdeen have targeted a permanent deal for Clarkson is a sign of their ambition.
However, they face competition from Reading, who were recently relegated to England’s League One, and some English Championship clubs.
Clarkson has said there is a “high possibility” of him returning to the Dons.
Willie Miller: Leighton Clarkson’s play is excellent
His general play is excellent, but his free-kicks and deliveries from set-pieces have been so important to the Dons.
The playmaker, who has a year left on his Liverpool contract, has been integral to Aberdeen this season.
Aberdeen boss Barry Robson faces a busy transfer window.
The first priority is clearing up the uncertainty over players who were on loan at Pittodrie during the recently-concluded season.
Aberdeen have a lot of loan players, such as Clarkson, who will exit Pittodrie as things stand.
Whether some of them return next season or not remains up in the air.
Once the Dons have secured clarity with those loanees, they can then push forward with adding more signings.
Aberdeen fans will have hope and optimism for next season after what they have seen under Robson.
The Dons could be guaranteed European group stage football until December – if Celtic win the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
If they are in the groups, Aberdeen boss Robson will have to bolster the squad substantially.
Securing third was great, but now is the time when the work really needs to ramp up for that optimism to continue into next season.
Will Liam Scales be secured?
The centre-back situation needs to be resolved because Mattie Pollock looks like he will be at parent club Watford next season.
Are Aberdeen going to sign Scales permanently or extend his loan for next season from Celtic?
There is uncertainty over Scales’ future.
The centre-back situation needs to be clarified soon, and if Scales and Pollock are not staying, at least two centre-backs must be signed.
It looks like Ross McCrorie could exit for Bristol City, although the Dons are set to have Livingston right-back Nicky Devlin next season.
The midfield is decent, but if Aberdeen get European group stage football that will need to be bolstered as well.
Upfront, the Dons have two very good strikers in Duk and Bojan Miovski.
But they will need back up to that duo as well.
It is all about looking towards next season now that a campaign with many twists and turns for the Dons has ended.
Reflections on a remarkable third-place finish
Manager Robson deserves real credit for leading Aberdeen to a third-placed finish and Europe considering where they were in January.
He inherited the squad after a disastrous 10 days where the Dons lost to Hibs, Darvel and Hearts before Jim Goodwin was axed.
The slump started with the 1-0 loss to Celtic at home when the Dons were holding on to just get a point.
That is not acceptable at Pittodrie. You have to make a statement against the Old Firm at home in particular.
Then Aberdeen chucked away a 2-1 lead in injury time to somehow lose 3-2 to Rangers at Pittodrie with the defensive frailties there for everyone to see.
Crashing out of the Scottish Cup to sixth-tier Darvel was a depressing debacle and completely unacceptable.
Aberdeen were also embarrassed at Hearts (5-0) and then Hibs (6-0) in that short period.
During the transfer window, two very good centre-backs were secured in Angus MacDonald and Pollock.
Pollock and MacDonald’s arrival really helped turn it around.
Under Robson, Aberdeen also started celebrating the defensive side of the game rather than just focusing on the attacking.
You need to get the balance right.
There needs to be the recognition that you cannot build anything without a solid defensive foundation.
Under Robson the Dons delivered gritty performances and some very good football.
Robson put an emphasis on the defensive side, work rate, team work and bonding.
When he got that right, the Dons went on a run of seven wins in a row to completely turn the season around.
To finish third was a great achievement.
I hope the loss at Celtic hurt players
I hope the 5-0 loss to Celtic at Parkhead hurt the Aberdeen players because it was unacceptable.
I don’t care that third place and European qualification had already been secured before that game.
Being the last game of the season, with the job done of European football already complete, is no excuse for losing like that.
The Dons must ensure they put that heavy defeat down to experience and ensure it never happens again.
I am sure that is not the way manager Barry Robson is thinking about it.
It was a disappointing performance all round from Aberdeen just a few days after beating St Mirren 3-0 at Pittodrie.
You have to try to give Celtic something to think about and I didn’t think that was achieved on the day.
However, I have to say Celtic were excellent.
When they are in that mood it is very difficult to stop them.
But I still don’t think any Aberdeen manager or player can accept a 5-0 defeat at Parkhead no matter what.
It was a disappointing way to end the season.
Ferguson pushing for Scots start
Former Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson is just at the start of what I believe will be a long and successful international career with Scotland.
There was no surprise when Ferguson was named in Scotland boss Steve Clarke’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Georgia this month.
Ferguson has been superb for Bologna since his transfer from Aberdeen last summer.
He netted in the 2-2 draw with Italian Serie A champions Napoli on Sunday.
The 23-year-old has scored six times in the Italian top-flight this season.
Fergie 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 ⚽ 🏴#BolognaNapoli #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/GxdNtaKzGv
— Bologna FC 1909 (@BolognaFC1909en) May 28, 2023
It has been a magnificent campaign for Ferguson at Bologna.
Moving from Aberdeen to Italy last season was a life-changing move for the midfielder.
He has been able to taste a different style of football and a different culture, and also the pressures that come from playing for a top club in Italy.
It is something a number of Scottish players have done in the past.
For him to go over at such a young age and be able to take that pressure and cement himself as a first team starter is impressive.
It is great for the player and also national team manager Steve Clarke
Seeing a former Aberdeen player do so well is fantastic.
Ferguson comes from good stock, a footballing family.
Hopefully he will get the opportunity to start in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
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