Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin faces key decisions on current players during the summer transfer window – calls which could cost the Dons more than £2million.
A fundamental issue in the upcoming window will be the future of Reds loan players Kevin Nisbet, Oday Dabbagh and Jeppe Okkels.
As it stands, Aberdeen only have three senior centre-forwards signed for next season – Ester Sokler, Peter Ambrose and teenager Alfie Bavidge.
Strikers Nisbet and Dabbagh both have loan deals expiring at the end of the campaign.
It is understood Aberdeen are hopeful a deal can be done to sign on loan Millwall striker Nisbet on a permanent contract from the Championship club.
However, the finances involved could make securing Nisbet on a permanent deal problematic.
Potential stumbling blocks to Aberdeen Kevin Nisbet deal
Aberdeen are not currently covering all of the 28-year-old’s wages.
And Millwall would also aim to recoup a seven figure fee – having paid £2m to land Nisbet from Hibs in summer 2023.
Nisbet – who has scored 12 goals for the Dons this season – has a year remaining on his contract at Millwall.
Millwall director of football Steve Gallen travelled to Pittodrie to watch Nisbet score a brace in the 4-1 win against Motherwell recently.
Alex Neil, the Millwall boss, also recently confirmed Nisbet will have the opportunity to push for a first-team slot when he returns to The Den in the summer.
Millwall may yet want to retain Nisbet, who was sent on loan at Pittodrie before fellow Scot Neil was appointed manager.
Option to buy for striker Dabbagh
Thelin will also have to decide whether or not to trigger the option to buy Dabbagh, who is on loan from Charleroi.
Palestine international Dabbagh has a year remaining on his contract at the Belgian top-flight club.
Dabbagh has scored three times for Aberdeen, but has been on the bench for the last two games: wins against Ross County and Motherwell.
Preston’s valuation of winger Okkels
Thelin must also make a call on is whether or not to trigger the right to buy option on Okkels.
Preston North End winger Okkels was secured on loan until the end of the season.
It is understood Preston would look for around £1m for Okkels, which would likely be too rich for Aberdeen.
Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom currently utilises a system with a five-man backline and no wingers – so it is difficult to see where Okkels fits in there.
Aberdeen boss Thelin rates the winger highly, having managed him at Elfsborg for three-and-a-half years.
In his final campaign under Thelin in Sweden, Okkels scored 11 goals and pitched in with seven assists, to earn a move to Utrecht.
Perhaps a possible option could be extending the loan deal at Aberdeen by a season, with the Dons revisiting the right to buy for Okkels in summer 2026 when his Preston contract is shorter, and price lower?
Another issue which must be resolved is whether or not to sign keeper Ross Doohan on a new contract.
Doohan’s current deal expires in the summer and he has been solid when stepping in while Dimitor Mitov has spent time out injured.
MacKenzie’s contract set to expire
Left-back Jack MacKenzie’s contract also expires in the summer.
Aberdeen opened up contract negotiations with MacKenzie and his representative early in the season, but there has been no resolution.
If as expected MacKenzie exits Pittodrie in the summer, Thelin could already have sourced an immediate replacement in Graeme Shinnie.
Captain Shinnie has excelled in recent games when he has started at left-back.
Aberdeen boss Thelin will already have to sign a replacement for midfielder Jamie McGrath during the summer window.
Republic of Ireland international McGrath has signed a pre-contract agreement with Hibs on a four-year deal.
The Dons could face a busy, and expensive, summer transfer window.
But you have to speculate to accumulate and the Pittodrie board have proven in the previous two windows they are willing to bankroll Thelin’s rebuild and vision.
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