Aberdeen FC transfer state of play as Vincente Besuijen weirded out and echoes fans over Barry Robson gripe
All the latest transfer news coming out of Pittodrie as a managerial hunt ensues alongside new player pursuits
A managerial hunt won't stop Aberdeen looking to recruit on deadline day as they aim to bolster their backline - as Vicente Besuijen lets rip out at tactics deployed by axed boss Barry Robson
The former midfielder's sacking has sparked another managerial hunt in the north-east. Pittodrie chiefs were meeting this morning to discuss their next move with hopeful applicants putting their CV's in early as they aim to become the next gaffer. An interim approach could be taken in the short-term as Neil Warnock has already been informally sounded out, it's been claimed.
Besuijen has joined FC Emmen on loan until the end of the season and has described his situation as odd after failing to fit into what he thought were long ball tactics under Robson's. The former Ajax youth product was signed by Stephen Glass two years ago from Den Haag but didn't play a single league minute this term. He said: "It actually went really weird at Aberdeen. When I first signed I was playing every week. But then another manager came in and started playing Scottish style, in a 5-3-2 formation and mainly with long balls. I suddenly didn't feature in his plans then.
"I was close to a move to the English Championship, but instead it was Excelsior and there I got injured very quickly. When I came back to Aberdeen, there was a lot of talk, but I didn't play. That was not down to me, but to the club. I just want to get back playing football and that's why I chose Emmen. I could also go to several Eredivisie clubs, but this is also a big club that belongs at the highest level .I am desperate to play and I know I can contribute to that with crosses, goals and creativity up front."
Elsewhere, a centre-back is on their agenda on Thursday with working on behind the scenes to upgrade the squad. They are on the hunt for a central defender due to the injuries to Stefan Gartenmann and Slobodan Rubezic, as the Dons await scan results on the latter's knee injury.
One player who won't be joining is Mattie Pollock. The Watford defender spent time at Pittodrie last season but the Hornets have rebuffed a loan approach.
The Dons could also move for a striker. There is also interest in current forwards at Pittodrie and The Press and Journal claim "several" bids from around Europe for Duk have been rejected. Nobody has got close to Aberdeen's valuation and Benfica would be due to a percentage of any fee that it is recouped for the Cape Verde international.
Midfielder Killian Phillips is the only new arrival so far, who joined on loan from Crystal Palace earlier this month. Or Dadia, Rhys Williams and Besuijen and no further departures are anticipated.