Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has confirmed striker Oday Dabbagh will not be available to make his debut against Dunfermline Athletic on Sunday.
The Dons are still waiting on a work VISA to be completed for the Palestine international striker, who signed on transfer deadline day.
Aberdeen secured Dabbagh on a loan deal until the end of the season from Belgian top-flight club Charleroi.
The Reds have the option to make the 26-year-old striker’s move permanent should Dabbagh impress on loan.
However, the Dons will have to wait for the 45-times-capped international to bolster an attack who have scored just one goal in the last eight Premiership games.
Fellow transfer window deadline day signing Mats Knoester IS eligible to make his debut on Sunday.
Dutch centre-back Knoester, 26. penned a two-and-a-half-year contract tying him to the Dons until summer 2027.
The paperwork on a work VISA has been completed for Knoester.
On the transfer deadline day signings, Thelin said: “One is available, one is not.
“Oday can take some longer time.”
The addition of Dabbagh and Knoester took Thelin’s winter window business to six signings.
Centre-back Kristers Tobers was bought for £600,000 with full-back Alexander Jensen signed for £545,000.
What will Dabbagh and Knoester bring to Aberdeen?
There were also loan deals for winger Jeppe Okkels (Preston North End) and centre-back Alfie Dorrington (Tottenham).
Aberdeen also have the option to make the move for Okkels permanent.
Thelin said: “Mats is an experienced centre-back who has a good left foot.
“His game understanding is really high and he’s composed when he plays.
“There’s no stress around him and Oday is an experienced striker.
“He has good positioning outside and inside the box.
“Oday can help us with some other qualities that we don’t have right now.
“He has a different profile, so it’s good to have this mix of strikers to help us get more opportunities inside the game to score goals.”
The cup clash on Sunday offers some respite from Premiership pressures as the Reds are 14 league games without a league win.
Dimitar Mitov return timeline update
Thelin has been hit by an injury crisis during the league collapse.
Keeper Dimitar Mitov, striker Ester Sokler, midfielder Jamie McGrath, winger Vicente Besuijen, defender Jack Milne and left-back Jack MacKenzie have all been injured.
Striker Pape Gueye has only recently returned from a four-month absence due to a thigh injury.
MacKenzie also recently returned from a period sidelined by injury.
Thelin confirmed keeper Dimitar Mitov is closing in on a return to action.
Bulgaria international Mitov has been out injured since a 1-0 loss to Dundee United on December 29, missing seven games in all competitions.
On the timeline for Mitov’s return, Thelin said: “It’s difficult to say, but right now, maybe one or two weeks.
“He’s training more and more on the pitch and doing a good job.
“He is the closest one.”
Striker Ester Sokler has also been sidelined for five weeks with a hamstring injury.
Thelin said: “Ester will be maybe three or four weeks, something like that.”
In the aftermath of the 2-0 loss at Hibs at the weekend, a frustrated Thelin demanded his underperforming players “look at themselves in the mirror”.
Thelin has been protective of his squad during the league form nosedive, but was critical in the aftermath of the loss at Easter Road.
‘A more aggressive, intense Aberdeen’
He is confident there will be a response in the cup tie with a “more intense and aggressive” Aberdeen.
He said: “This week was good for us and sometimes in bad runs you have to actually look at the mirror – on what is our goal and what we want to show.
“From there sometimes you need to take that responsibility and change quick.
“We are looking forward to the game and it’s going to be a more intense, aggressive Aberdeen on the pitch.”
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