Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin insists Duk was able to break his near year-long scoring Duk because he is pushing into the penalty box more.
Cape Verde international Duk netted a second-half double in the 3-0 Scottish Cup fourth round win against Elgin City.
The brace against the League 2 side was the first time Duk had scored since netting twice in a 3-3 draw with Motherwell on February 14.
Duk’s long wait for a goal had extended to 33 games before finally scoring at Borough Briggs.
It is the first time the 24-year-old has scored since going AWOL during the summer transfer window.
Duk failed to return for pre-season and was absent without permission for the first two months of Thelin’s tenure as Aberdeen manager.
In July last year Aberdeen confirmed Duk was the subject of internal disciplinary proceedings.
Duk indicated in June his preference was to leave Aberdeen in the summer transfer window.
However. he returned to Aberdeen soon after the summer window closed and apologised to Thelin, the club’s hierarchy and the supporters.
He was integrated back into the first-team but it took 19 appearances to finally score his first goal of the season at Elgin.
Duk’s deal expires at the end of the campaign.
He has been free to agree a pre-contract with another club since the transfer window opened on January 1.
Thelin said: “The way Duk scored his goals was good.
“He is arriving more into the box and had concentration with good finishing.
“Duk was good in the build-up and also arrived at the right spot.
“He can get inside with the ball and when it was time for the chance he was closer to the goal.
“It’s always about positioning, being there and concentrating. ”
Thelin addresses Duk’s Dons future
Duk was signed on a three-year deal in the summer of 2022 from Portuguese giants Benfica.
In a memorable debut season he was Aberdeen’s joint top goal-scorer with Bojan Miovksi on 18 goals in all competitions.
The following season Miovski went on to net 26 times to seal a transfer to Spanish top flight Girona that could ultimately land the Dons up to £9million.
However, the goals dried up for Duk with the attacker netting only seven times last season.
Duk’s former club Benfica are reportedly due 50% of any transfer fee.
Thelin was asked after the Elgin City game if there had been any progression with Duk regarding the attacker’s future.
He said: “I don’t focus on that right now.
“But we have discussions with everyone and that’s the way the process is.”
The return to form of Nicky Devlin
Duk ending a long wait for a goal to help end a 12 game winless run was not the only positive for Thelin at Borough Briggs.
He was delighted Scotland international right-back Nicky Devlin put in a strong performance in the cup tie.
Devlin was captain for the clash as skipper Graeme Shinnie was named on the bench.
Thelin said: “Nicky Devlin came back into his own form and is running a lot more and arriving much more in the box.”
Belief returning to Aberdeen squad
Victory over League 2 Elgin City ended a damaging winless slump for the Dons.
Thelin’s side had secured only four points from a possible 36 in the Premiership, the worst run of form in the top flight.
The Reds gaffer insists belief is beginning to return to his team.
And he is determined to start building winning momentum, beginning against St Mirren at Pittodrie on Saturday.
He said: “We always want to score more but at least we scored three goals.
“We had a good talk at half-time that we can’t show this performance as there are so many of our supporters there.
“We had to do more together and it was better in the second half.
“And we got the victory.
“The belief is slowly coming back and it is a good feeling.
“We are all working so hard to get results and it was good for everyone to get the win.
“We have to use this good feeling now and have a good training week in preparation for the next league game.”
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