Ten of Derek McInnes first team squad will not be kept on next season, so what does the Dons boss do now?
The club this afternoon confirmed that six players will be released, Donervorn Daniels will return to West Brom and Declan McManus has rejected a new contract, joining retiring captain Russell Anderson and Dundee bound Nicky Low on their way out of Pittodrie.
But where should Aberdeen try to strengthen this summer?
The Dons have already signed Caley Thistle left back Graeme Shinnie on a pre-contract for the next campaign, while this week the club made a move to bring Sheffield Wednesday striker Stevie May back to Scotland.
But with ten players leaving the club and Aberdeen looking to close the gap on Celtic, McInnes is well aware of the need to further strengthen his squad.
Goalkeepers
Scott Brown has made 27 appearances for the Dons this season, Jamie Langfield has played 19 games. This can be viewed in two ways – Aberdeen have two strong keepers fighting for the number one jersey or Derek McInnes is convinced by neither goalkeeper and will look to strengthen this summer.
Langfield has proven what he can do over the years and will this summer be rewarded with a testimonial, while Brown has proven himself to be a very good shot stopper, however, questions have been asked over his ability to command his area and organise his defence – particularly at set pieces and crosses.
Despite Brown and Langfield both playing their fair share of games this season, Aberdeen’s most impressive goalkeeper has arguably been Ireland Under-21 international Danny Rogers who has spent the season on loan at Dumbarton.
But with Rogers still just 21-years-old and McInnes yet to be fully convinced by Brown or Langfield it looks likely that the Dons will try to sign a new shot stopper this summer.
Who that will be remains to be seen – If McInnes opts to sign a player with Premiership experience, Dundee United’s Radoslaw Cierzniak is an option with his contract expiring this summer, while fellow pole and Celtic second choice Lukasz Zaluska will also be on the lookout for a new club on July 1.
Defenders
The Aberdeen defence has been a revelation this season.
Right back Shay Logan displayed his class almost as soon as he joined the Dons last season and has continued that impressive form this campaign.
Left back is a completely different story – central defender Andrew Considine was essentially thrown into the position as a last resort due to the lack of left sided defenders at the club, however, he has flourished in the position and enjoyed a quite stunning season. While the Dons support were confident they could rely on Considine defensively, this season he has also proven himself as a dangerous attacking threat.
Next season Considine will be joined by Graeme Shinnie at left back and with Shinnie also able to cover at right back, the Dons don’t need to further strengthen in the full back areas.
At centre half Mark Reynolds and Ash Taylor have developed a formidable partnership. Former Tranmere Rovers man Taylor was less than convincing in his first few Dons performances but has developed and grown as the season has gone on and there is no need to break up his partnership with Reynolds ahead of the new season.
However, with the retirement of captain Russell Anderson and fellow centre half Don Daniels due to return to West Brom, McInnes could do with signing central defensive reinforcements. Daniels has admitted he is open to returning to Pittodrie on a permanent deal, while Hearts defender Danny Wilson has revealed he will leave the Jambos when his contract expires at the end of the season and would provide ideal competition for Reynolds and Taylor.
Manual Pascali is out of contract at Kilmarnock and St Johnstone’s Frazer Wright is also on the hunt for a new club and while neither would necessarily excite the Dons support, both would supply welcome competition and cover in the Dons back line.
Midfielders
As a unit the Aberdeen midfield has functioned well this season. Ryan Jack, Willo Flood, Barry Robson and even, at times, Jonny Hayes have performed well in central holding roles, while Niall McGinn, Peter Pawlett, Kenny McLean and Hayes have all threatened ahead of them.
Youngster Cammy Smith has also shown he is more than capable when asked to step in.
This summer Nicky Low will join Dundee, Andrew Driver looks unlikely to have his short term deal extended, Robson and Flood are both another year older (yes, all of us will be a year older but with Robson and Flood both in their 30s, the extra year is likely to affect them a little more) and Jack is expected to be the subject of a transfer bid or two.
So while the Dons midfield does not require wholesale change, it could do with on or two additions and a little freshening up.
We have seen with a number of McInnes’ recent signings that he sees value in dipping into the English market to enhance his team as the signings of Ash Taylor and Scott Brown showed last summer. If McInnes was to look south again this year there are two very capable candidates to bolster the Dons’ holding midfield options.
Former Falkirk midfielder Stewart Murdoch is to be released by Fleetwood at the end of the season after two years with Graham Alexander’s team. Murdoch has made over 60 appearances for Fleetwood, helping the team to promotion to League One through the play-offs last season and impressing again in League One this season and will not be short of offers this summer. His high energy box-to-box performances would dovetail nicely with the more attacking exploits of McGinn, Hayes, McLean and Pawlett.
Meanwhile, if McInnes is looking to add more experience to his midfield, he may turn to Sheffield United midfielder Michael Doyle. The 33-year-old Irishman has made 188 appearances for the club since joining from Coventry in 2011 but will be released at the end of the season after the Blades missed out on promotion to the championship. Doyle is no stranger to Scotland after spending five years with Celtic at the start of his career but failing to break into the Parkhead first team before moving on to Coventry where he was soon made captain before securing his move to Sheffield United.
In Hayes, McGinn, McLean, Smith and Pawlett the Dons have plenty of flair but if McInnes is looking to add another winger to fill the berth previously occupied by Jeffrey Monakana and then Andrew Driver, he may not need to look outside the Scottish Premiership.
Caley Thistle’s Marley Watkins, Partick Thistle’s Kallum Higginbotham and Ross County’s Raffaelle De Vita are all out of contract at the end of this campaign and have all impressed this season.
Hearts have already been linked with a move for Watkins, who has netted eight times for the Caley Jags this season but could he be tempted to join his current captain, Graeme Shinnie, at Pittodrie next season?
Partick Thistle’s most dangerous player this season, when on form, has been Kallum Higginbotham. He has impressed with Thistle, Motherwell and Falkirk during his time in Scotland and could prove another useful option for the Dons. De Vita has only spent the second half of the season in Scotland but has played played a crucial role in helping the Staggies beat the drop with three goals and countless more assists for the Dingwall club.
Forwards
Aberdeen boast the top scoring striker in the Scottish Premiership and the top scoring forward in the Development League.
Both Adam Rooney and Lawrence Shankland have scored over 20 goals this season while the Dons can also turn to Scotland international David Goodwillie.
Some would suggest the Dons are pretty well kitted out in the attacking department ahead of next season.
However, although every other club in Scotland (perhaps every club other than those based in the East end of Glasgow) would be delighted to have such talented attacked options, McInnes does not want to rest on his laurels.
The club are believed to have already contacted Sheffield Wednesday with a view to signing former St Johnstone man Stevie May, who would add another dimension to the Dons forward line with his direct approach.
McInnes has cooled talk about the move, however, with fresh summer investment heading in Wednesday’s direction and the club reportedly on the verge of making an ambitious £12million move for Jordan Rhodes, May could well become available and could be tempted by McInnes plans for the Dons and a possible title challenge next season.
