Aberdeen boss Barry Robson has challenged loan defender Or Dadia to earn a permanent contract.
Israeli international Dadia has been secured on a season-long loan from Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
Aberdeen have an exclusive option to buy the right-back at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The 26-year-old defender, Robson’s seventh capture of a summer rebuild, is contracted to Be’er Sheva until summer 2025.
It is understood the option to buy Dadia would be £400,000.
Dadia is Robson’s seventh addition of a summer transfer window rebuild and the Dons boss is set to secure more new signings.
Robson confirmed he is “pretty close” to getting “some things over the line” and hopes to land a defender “shortly”.
Aberdeen are closing in on a deal to sign Serbian centre-back Slobodan Rubezic for a six-figure fee from FK Novi Pazar.
On the exclusive option to buy for Dadia, Robson said: “It means Dadia can come in and prove a point to us.
“We can also have a good look at him.
“He wants to do well and has a good mentality.”
‘He is hungry and all the things that we want in an Aberdeen player’
Dadia has been capped once by Israel with that appearance coming last year against Malta.
The defender won the Israeli Premier League in 2017 and has experience of the Europa League and Conference League group stages.
Dadia has received a governing body endorsement (GBE) from the Scottish FA, and will officially become an Aberdeen player upon the completion of the UK immigration process.
He is ineligible to play for the club until this process is complete and missed the 2-0 friendly loss to Preston North End.
Aberdeen are confident the paperwork will be processed in time for Dadia to face Charlton Athletic in London on Saturday.
Robson insists the defender has all the qualities he wants in an Aberdeen player.
Dons gaffer Robson said: “Dadia is an experienced player with a good engine who is quick.
“He can play right back or right wing-back in whatever system we decide to go with.
“He will bring that speed and energy to the team.
“(He’s) athletic – he is good at getting up and down the pitch.
“He is hungry and all the things that we want in an Aberdeen player.”
Centre-back injury problems
Robson has been hit with a defensive injury headache with centre-backs Rhys Williams and Angus MacDonald both facing a battle to be fit for the start of the season.
Williams, secured on a season-long loan from Liverpool this summer, suffered a back problem which has spread to his calves.
England under-21 international Williams has missed the last two friendlies against Preston and Fraserburgh (2-0 win).
MacDonald has yet to feature in pre-season due to a knee injury and has been absent from all three friendlies.
Aberdeen wait on Scales’ availability
Robson hopes to confirm a new defensive signing imminently.
Aberdeen are confident they will fight off interest from a host of European clubs and land Serbian Rubezic.
Celtic’s left-sided defender Liam Scales also remains a target for Robson.
Scales had a successful loan spell at Aberdeen last season and played a key role in the Reds finishing third in the Premiership.
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However, Aberdeen will have to wait for any answer regarding Scales until new Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers assesses his squad.
Scales, 24, was part of the Celtic squad for their recent pre-season tour of Japan.
He played against Gamba Osaka at the weekend and also got game time against Yokohama F. Marinoshas.
Scales played as a centre-back in both games as Rodgers was short of options in that position.
However, those centre-back concerns are now lessening as Celtic are set to sign Maik Nawrocki from Legia Warsaw.
Centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers is also set to return from a knee injury for the Hoops later this week, and Celtic also have centre-backs Carl Starfelt and Stephen Welsh.
Robson said: “We are trying to bring people in.
“Hopefully we will have some defenders in the building quite soon.
“Dadia has come in and we will hopefully have Angus back very shortly.
“We know there’s an issue there (defence), but it is being addressed and hopefully we will have some news on that very soon.
“We are pretty close to getting some things over the line.”
Makeshift back three against Preston
Robson had to field a makeshift back three in the friendly loss to Preston.
Right-back Nicky Devlin played in the centre of the back three alongside left-back Jack MacKenzie and 20-year-old inexperienced centre-back Jack Milne.
Robson said: “We were missing a lot of defenders, which is probably why we lost a couple of goals.
“Devlin is an experienced player. However, those defenders, apart from Jack Milne, were playing out of position.”