The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dons bring in loan striker from Leeds
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes hopes to have solved his injury crisis after securing Leeds striker Ryan Edmondson on a six-month loan.
The Pittodrie boss was hit with a double blow ahead of today’s Scottish Premiership curtainraiser with Rangers when he saw last season’s top scorer Sam Cosgrove and understudy Curtis Main both ruled out.
Cosgrove faces up to 10 weeks out after injuring his knee in a friendly clash with Hibs last week while Main – only recently fit again following knee surgery – has suffered a thigh strain on his return to training.
That would have left McInnes with only youngster Bruce Anderson to lead the line against Steven Gerrard’s men. But he has moved quickly to bolster his attacking options after securing 19-year-old Edmondson on a short-term deal stretching to January from Marcelo Bielsa’s Premier League new boys.
The England Under-19 cap trained with his new Dons teammates yesterday and, pending international clearance, will go straight into the squad for the lunchtime kick-off against Gers.
McInnes said: “I’m delighted
Ryan is here.
“His eagerness and willingness to come to Aberdeen is really encouraging. He is a player we’ve known about for a while and always felt he had the correct attributes to add to our squad.
“With the injuries to Sam and Curtis we clearly would have been short of two of our key players so I must thank the board for their co-operation in getting Ryan here, during what is a financially tough period for the club.”
Gerrard, meanwhile, has his own striker worries.
The manager has told Alfredo Morelos to keep his focus on Rangers after insisting Lille are “nowhere near” striking a deal for the Ibrox top scorer.
The French outfit have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Colombian and, having failed with an opening £13 million bid, are now understood to be preparing a fresh offer.
But with nothing presently on the table, Gerrard confirmed Morelos will be in the squad which travels to Pittodrie.
Gerrard, who confirmed Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe will miss the Pittodrie clash through injury, said: “I think this will work itself out if there is a bid that’s big enough, that the board want to accept, we’ll make that decision when it comes.
“At the moment we’re nowhere near that so Alfredo is still a Rangers player.
“He needs to focus on that and continue contributing goals like he always has done for the last two years.
“At the moment I don’t want to add too much noise to it because we’ve got a game on Saturday. That’s the most important thing right now, not ins and outs. The important thing is three points at Aberdeen.”