New Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin is already making plans for the summer pre-season ahead of his Pittodrie arrival.
Interim boss Peter Leven confirmed he had a Zoom call with Thelin and his Elfsborg assistants Emir Bajrami and Christer Persson on Thursday.
Bajrami and Persson will both be Aberdeen assistants under Thelin, who starts at Pittodrie on June 3.
Thelin, who agreed a three-year contract with the Dons, is remaining at Elfsborg until the Swedish Allsvenskan enters its summer break.
However, the 46-year-old Swede has already started laying out his summer plans for Aberdeen in a bid to start his first Dons campaign with a bang.
In the video call, Leven also told Thelin to expect a high level of demand from the club’s supporters.
Leven said: “We had a brief call on Thursday night with the staff, just to introduce ourselves.
“Then after that myself and the sports scientist had a chat about the pre-season, where we want to go and stuff like that.
“Jimmy is in Sweden just now, but I will have another call with him maybe next week.
“His two assistants Emir (Bajrami) and Christer (Persson) were also on the call.
“You have to start making plans for next season – or you end up getting left behind. You don’t get the right training facility abroad or the right pre-season games.
“It is important, so we need to get it done and nailed down soon.”
Thelin warned to expect high demand from Aberdeen fans
Thelin’s final game as Elfsborg manager is an away Allsvenskan clash with IFK Goteborg on June 1.
He will then take over the hot-seat at Aberdeen just two days later.
Thelin led Elfsborg to a Swedish top-flight runners-up finish last season, only missing out on the title by goal difference.
Aberdeen will finish this season in the Premiership bottom six, meaning Thelin will begin his Dons career in the League Cup group stages next season.
Leven has warned Thelin to expect high demands for success from the Red Army.
He said: “I said to him the other day, I didn’t realise how big this club was until I had been here – and I grew up in Glasgow.
“The demand of the fans and people around the city is huge, so expect it.”
Thelin’s assistants Bajrami and Persson
The Zoom call was the first time Leven had met Thelin’s assistants at Elfsborg – Persson and Bajrami.
Both will move to Pittodrie with Thelin in June.
Bajrami is a former Swedish international winger who played for FC Twente (Netherlands), AS Monaco (France) and Panathinaikos (Greece).
The 36-year-old ended his playing career at Elfsborg and moved into coaching.
Barjrami was capped 18 times for Sweden and the first of his two international goals came in a 3-0 friendly defeat of Scotland in 2010.
Former winger Persson was previously head coach at Motala AIF, but moved to Elfsborg to be Thelin’s assistant in 2021.
Persson had previously worked with Thelin at Jonkopings Sodra.
As interim boss, Leven has overseen a five-game unbeaten run in the Premiership.
He will bid to extend that to six games when the Dons host St Johnstone at Pittodrie on Saturday.
First team coach Leven has effectively eradicated the threat of Aberdeen being dragged into a relegation play-off battle.
Aberdeen are eight points clear of Ross County, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, with only four games remaining.
Barring a catastrophic turn of events, Leven will be handing over a Premiership team to Thelin in June.
He said: “It was good for the staff to see Jimmy for the first time and say hello to him.
“It was the first time I had talked with Emir and Christer.
“We will get to know them when they are in the building.
“I think Emir is not long retired.
“The three of us will work with Jimmy and he will be the boss.”
Captain Graeme Shinnie returns
Thelin may be in Sweden – but he is keeping close tabs on Aberdeen’s remaining fixtures this season.
Aberdeen welcome back captain Graeme Shinnie from suspension for the clash with St Johnstone.
Leven has a fully-fit squad available.
Leven said: “It will be a tough game as St Johnstone are desperate for points like we are.
“They have good experience in their team.
“We are on a good run of form and have to keep building on what we are doing.”
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