McKenna is set for elite level, says Dons boss

THE final act of Scott McKenna’s breakthrough season saw him captain Scotland in front of a sellout crowd in the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

For his admiring Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes, it is only a matter of time until the 21-year-old defender is found gracing bigger stages at club level, as well.

Just six months ago, the Dons knocked back a series of bids of up to £1million for McKenna (below) from English Championship side Hull City.

But should the youngster hang around and get more game time under his belt with Aberdeen and Scotland, McInnes is adamant that the calibre of suitors on the centre-back’s trail will only get bigger and better.

‘Hull were serious and you’ve got to respect that their offer for Scott was credible, but it wasn’t an offer that we felt he needed to take,’ said McInnes.

‘The conversation we had with Scott about the offer from Hull was about how we felt he still has so much to do here. He has to get the games, do the yards, and do the time — and he absolutely got that. His agent is really refreshing and he saw that. His family saw that, too.

‘The benefit of him getting experience here and learning the game will stand him in good stead for when his move does come.

‘A lot of youngsters are quick to jump at the first offer that comes along. But the really confident player, the smart player, knows it’s better to back yourself and there will be far bigger clubs and better opportunities ahead.

‘The ones who maybe don’t back themselves so much get a bit excited at the first opportunity and look to move down (to England). Sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it doesn’t.

‘But I know that Scott will be on the radar of a lot more clubs than he was six months ago. That’s down to how well he has done for us and also for Scotland.

‘It is good to see my players being recognised at international level because it shows them that their performances here will get them into the national team. That pleases me.

‘Scott is doing it the right way and I think he’s done fantastically well. But I’m not sitting worrying about the phone ringing and losing him.

‘I’m confident that he will go at some point. It’s clear as day that the boy will move on at some point — but it doesn’t need to be now.’

McInnes watched last week as his former loan player, playmaker James Maddison, moved from Norwich City to Leicester City for £24m.

But he knows McKenna — who is the same age as Maddison — will not command anywhere near that figure despite being a full international.

‘It’s just the way people perceive the league,’ he said. ‘There’s probably nobody worth £24m in the Scottish league.

‘But there are good players up here, very good players playing at international level, Champions League level with Celtic, players of real quality who could play in the English Premier League. Absolutely no question.

‘I think we all recognised that James Maddison was a good player when he was with us.

‘Those types of players are game-changers who are capable of big moments. Part of the attraction in trying to sign James was his X-factor, his wee bit of quality. And he showed it once he got used to the pace of the game. We were good for James and he was good for us, as well. ‘James is worth what someone is prepared to pay for him and I don’t doubt that he is capable of moving on again if he does well at Leicester

City.’