“I’ve never seen a bigger leader on a pitch” is the review of Aberdeen-bound midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen.
The SK Brann skipper, 32, is en route to the Granite City for a medical and to negotiate personal terms after the Norwegian Eliteserien club confirmed they have accepted a bid from the Dons.
It is understood Nilsen has already said goodbye to his team-mates in Bergen.
Nilsen formerly played under the Dons’ new boss Jimmy Thelin at Swedish side Elfsborg from 2019 to 2020, and they now look likely to be reunited at Pittodrie in what would be Thelin’s fourth summer signing.
‘Sivert is an aggressive and physically strong central midfielder’
Nilsen was Elfsborg captain during the first of gaffer Thelin’s two Allsvenskan runners-up finishes with the club, in 2020.
Journalist Oskar Palsson, who covers Elfsborg for news outlet Boras-Tidning, watched him under Thelin, and said: “Sivert is an aggressive and physically strong central midfielder.
“He is more physical and tactical than technical.
“When he scores it’s mostly linked to set-pieces – he is strong and pretty good with his head.
“I’ve never seen a bigger leader on a pitch – he shouts very loud almost all time and is in that way the perfect team captain.
“Without knowing much about Aberdeen’s team, I’m pretty sure it’s a great player for Thelin to have in his squad.”
Palsson’s description of Nilsen suggests he would be a belated replacement for Albanian international defensive midfielder Ylber Ramadani, who left Pittodrie for Italian Serie A outfit Lecce in a £1.2 million deal last August.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin tried to bring Nilsen back to Elfsborg
Bergen native Nilsen started his professional career at lower-league Hodd in his homeland in 2009, playing under his manager father, Lars Arne Nilsen, and winning the Norwegian Cup in 2012.
He then moved to Norwegian top-flight side Valerenga in 2014, before linking back up with Nilsen senior at Brann in 2015.
The midfielder moved to Danish Superliga side AC Horsens in time for their 2018/19 campaign.
In 2019, Thelin bought Nilsen for Elfsborg, where he spent two years, before a short-lived switch to Beveren in Belgium.
In 2021, Nilsen returned to Brann, with the former Norwegian under-23 international following in ex-Aberdeen midfielder Cato Guntveit’s footsteps last year by leading the Bergen men to the Norwegian Cup, as well as second place in the Eliteserien.
After the success, Thelin made a bid to re-sign his ex-skipper for Elfsborg.
Though this reunion attempt was thrown out by Brann – creating friction between Nilsen and Brann which played out in the press – it looks like Thelin and Nilsen will now be back together at Aberdeen.
Should the deal be completed, it will mean Nilsen was sent off on his final Brann appearance, having picked up two yellow cards in the first nine minutes of their 5-1 Eliteserien loss at Bodo/Glimt on Sunday.
The captain’s exit would create a conundrum for Brann, who are scheduled to face Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles in the Conference League qualifiers later in the month, with Norway’s transfer window not opening until July 17.
Thelin – who has been denied a public debut as Aberdeen boss at Peterhead on Wednesday due to the wet weather, with the friendly instead moved behind closed doors – has already signed goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov (St Johnstone), defender Gavin Molloy (Shelbourne) and striker Peter Ambrose (Ujpest) this summer.
As he readies the Dons for his maiden season in charge, a move to land Ecuador international winger Jeremy Sarmiento, however, from Brighton and Hove Albion, looks unlikely for financial reasons.
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