GOODWIN: RAMIREZ DECISION WAS RIGHT

Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists he has no regrets about sanctioning striker Christian Ramirez’s early return to the United States.

The 31-year-old jetted back to the States a week before the end of the season.

Goodwin let the US international fly home because he was showing signs of fatigue having had no summer break.

Ramirez, Aberdeen’s second-highest scorer for the season on 15 goals, missed the final two Premiership games against St Mirren and St Johnstone.

Aberdeen failed to score in both games and secured just one point from six.

Goodwin said: “Do I have any regrets about letting Christian go early? No, none at all.

“He showed me in the games he played what he can do for us.

“Christian had been underperforming and that’s due to fatigue so we made the decision and that’s the reason behind it.

“We got to look at Michael Ruth and Liam Harvey so we have no regrets over Christian.”

Capped twice by the US, striker Ramirez is contracted to Aberdeen until summer next year.

There has been speculation Ramirez could exit the Pittodrie club this summer.

However, Goodwin recently confirmed neither the striker nor his representatives have indicated he wants to leave.

Goodwin expects Ramirez to return to Aberdeen for pre-season training in mid-June.

Ramirez showed his frustration at being substituted in the 1-0 defeat of Dundee by kicking the water bottles near the dugout.

The American striker had been dropped to the bench in the previous game, a 2-1 loss to Livingston.

It was the first time Ramirez had been a substitute in a Premiership match since August last year.

Ramirez did not have a summer break last year and looked fatigued, according to his Dons manager.

The striker had gone more than a year and a half without an extended break until Goodwin sanctioned his early return to the States.