The sale of “irreplaceable” striker Bojan Miovski to Girona will hurt Aberdeen this season, warns Chris Sutton.
Goal hero Miovski transferred to the Spanish La Liga outfit earlier this month in what is a record fee for the Dons.
Miovski’s move landed the Dons £4.5million up-front but could ultimately be worth up to £9m with achievable add-ons and a sell-on clause.
Scottish football pundit and former Celtic striker Sutton rates Miovski as an “outstanding player” and insists his exit will be an issue for Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin.
Miovski netted 44 goals in two seasons for Aberdeen before his transfer to Girona.
Sutton hailed the striker’s return as “phenomenal” and reckons his clinical finishing could be missed in “big moments” this season.
He said: “Selling their star star striker will be an enormous issue for Aberdeen.
“Losing Miovski will hurt them.
“Aberdeen got a good fee for Miovski and from Jimmy Thelin’s point of view it is OK having that money.
“But Miovski is irreplaceable as his numbers over the last couple of seasons are phenomenal.
“Miovski is going to be a big miss for Aberdeen and that is going to be an issue for Thelin.
“In those big moments in games you need players like Miovski capable of taking opportunities.
“Ester Sokler has taken on the mantle now but he still has some way to go.
“That is not a criticism at all as he is still a developing player.
“Aberdeen fans and the manager will want Sokler to develop into the next Miovski.”
‘A classy player and brilliant finisher’
Miovski transferred to Girona on a four-year deal and is in contention to make his debut against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Aberdeen rejected three previous offers from Girona before finally accepting a figure that matched their valuation of the striker.
Sutton, who moved from Chelsea to Celtic in a £6m deal in 2000, said: “I’m a huge fan of Miovski, and not just his goal-scoring.
“I’ve seen a lot of Miovski and he is a classy player and brilliant finisher.
“He has really good all-round attributes as he can also hold the ball up, link the play and is great in the air.
“Miovski is still relatively young at 25 so there is development there which will clearly come.
“I was at Aberdeen’s game against St Johnstone (2-1 win) and some of Miovski’s touches were fantastic.
“He had not started any other game for Aberdeen this season before then so that was him half-cooked.
“But Miovski was still a class apart from everyone else on the pitch.”
‘I wonder if in this market Aberdeen could have held out for more’
The deal to transfer Miovski to Girona surpasses the previous club record of £6.5m package Aberdeen reached in 2022 with the sale of Calvin Ramsay to Liverpool.
Miovski will play in the Champions League with Girona as the Spanish club finished third in La Liga last season, behind only Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Aberdeen signed Miovski in a £535,000 deal from Hungarian club MTK Budapest in the summer of 2022.
Sutton said: “I’m a big lover of Scottish football.
“But you can’t get way from it that Scottish clubs are development clubs for bigger, more financially powerful ones cross Europe.
“In many aspects it is the perfect situation for Aberdeen with Miovski.
“They didn’t pay that much for him but he has developed through pretty turbulent times at Aberdeen.
“Then he got the big move.
“However, I wonder if in this particular market Aberdeen could have held out for more.”
Aberdeen must give Thelin time
Aberdeen manager Thelin recently admitted he had been planning for the expected transfer of Miovski this summer.
Miovski only started one of the six games this season while still at the club with Ester Sokler, who has scored four goals, given the nod.
Swede Thelin has delivered a 100% start to his Pittodrie career having won seven games out of seven.
Sutton said: “Thelin has had the perfect start in many respects but will know there is still a lot of work still to do.
“Everything seems to have gone up a level or two under Thelin.
“In recent seasons there hasn’t been enough stability at Aberdeen.
“With all that has gone on with Aberdeen chopping and changing managers in recent seasons there needs to be patience..
“We are in a day and age when everyone wants instant success.
“There’s little point bringing Thelin in if there isn’t going to be patience.”
Aberdeen ‘should target top six’
Thelin has led Aberdeen to the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final and two wins from two in the Premiership.
The Swede has added six permanent signings so far during the summer transfer window.
What should be the target for Thelin and Aberdeen this season?
Sutton said: “The start has been brilliant, but in truth a top six finish.
“The club’s fans may think that is slightly negative but it is about building for Aberdeen.
“It isn’t about turbulence which there has been in recent seasons.
“Thelin has shown in his career he is is a builder of clubs.
“So Aberdeen need to build slowly and trust him and trust in the process.
“Thelin needs time and will get that to build.
“But it doesn’t help when the star striker is sold.”
Chris Sutton was talking on behalf of Instant Withdrawal Casino.
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