The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
McGinn’s Eastern promise
Former Aberdeen midfielder Niall McGinn is wanted by South Korean club Gwangju FC.
The club president of the K-League team is Ki Youngok, father of McGinn’s former Celtic team-mate Ki Sung-yueng.
The Gwangju president met McGinn in Belfast in a bid to persuade him to move to South Korea but the 29-year-old has several options in England, with Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United among a host of clubs keen on the Northern Ireland international.
The Dons, meanwhile, have taken German defender Berkay Dabanli on a week-long trial. The 26year-old central defender is a free agent after leaving German third-tier side Chemnitzer.
Dons manager Derek McInnes said: “He’s here for the week. It was on the recommendation of an agent who has been quite good in the past.
“We don’t know too much about him, we’ve done a bit of homework and tried to have some sort of background checks but he’s come in just for us to have a look at him over the next few days. There’s nothing more than that.”
Stranraer chairman Iain Dougan is still waiting to find out whether Aberdeen will step up their interest in highly rated midfielder Kyle Turner.
The Dons are keen to sign the 19-year-old, who trained with them in February, and Dougan said: “Our manager Stevie Farrell has spoken to Derek and it has been indicated that he likes Kyle. But there has been no bid submitted as yet.
“We’re not desperate to get rid of Kyle but, from the player’s point of view, if he can move to bigger and better things then we have to be realistic.”