Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Glass ready to act if key players exit club
ABERDEEN manager Stephen Glass hopes the January transfer window will pass with none of his key players having left the club but insists the Dons are ready to react should that happen.
Ryan Hedges, Lewis Ferguson and Calvin Ramsay have all been attracting interest from clubs in England, with Blackburn Rovers leading the race to secure Wales international Hedges’ signature.
The English Championship club hope to reach a pre-contract agreement with Hedges, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
This summer the Dons rejected bids from Watford for Ferguson, who scored his eighth goal of the season in the 2-1 win against Dundee on Boxing Day, while talented full-back Ramsay has been tracked by several English Premier League sides.
When asked if he expects any departures, Glass said: “I certainly hope there is not but if some of our players keep playing the way they have then there is always a danger.
“We are ready to react if we have to and we are ready to add if we choose. You want to strengthen continually.
“There is a danger we could be weakened by players going out but we need to also be ready to strengthen.”
The future of loan players will also be discussed
The Dons boss confirmed after the Boxing Day win at Pittodrie that midfielder Matty Longstaff had been recalled by Newcastle United after a disappointing loan spell in the Granite City.
Teddy Jenks and Austin Samuels are also on loan at the Dons – from Brighton and Wolves respectively.
Glass expects talks to take place between his club and the Premier League sides.
He said: “As was the case with
Matty, they will be looked at in the window by the parent club and ourselves.
“We all have decisions to make on what is best for the clubs.”
Meanwhile, the Aberdeen manager is hopeful that talisman striker Marley Watkins will be fit for the first game after the winter break – which is against champions Rangers at Pittodrie.
The Wales international was forced off in Sunday’s win against Dundee with an ankle injury and Glass is keeping his fingers crossed the former Caley Thistle attacker will recover for the game against the Light Blues on January 18.
He said: “He has taken a pretty sore one on the ankle.
“We will probably get it scanned but we will see what the physios say.
“We have a wee bit of time before the next game, which is good.
“We will try to get him back on the grass as quickly as we can.
“I would imagine he will be available again by the time Rangers come to town.
“We should have a really good group for that and hopefully we will have a full stadium for it as well.”