Joke on Gers over £300,000 offer for McLean

Former Dons and Ross County manager Alex Smith delivers his verdict on the week in football

Aberdeen must have thought Rangers were joking when they received a bid of only £300,000 for Kenny McLean. The Scotland international was a standout for the Dons last season and is worth much more than the figure mentioned. It is incredible that one of our top clubs thinks that is a fair offer for one of the best players in the country. McLean still has a year left on his contract and I’m sure Aberdeen are already trying to get him to commit to a longer deal. Aberdeen were quite right to reject the offer, particularly when it came from a club the Dons will be competing against domestically. If McLean went to Rangers then it would make the Dons weaker and one of their main rivals stronger. That is why when a rival club bids for one of your players they should expect to pay more. Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager, has already lost Niall McGinn, Jonny Hayes and Ryan Jack and he can ill-afford to lose another of the players who served him so well last season. Rangers will know £300,000 is nowhere near the true value of McLean and I’m sure they expected the bid to be quickly turned down.

I was pleased to see Aberdeen complete their own piece of transfer business this week by agreeing a season-long loan deal for the Birmingham City attacker Greg Stewart.

It could be a good move for both parties.

He is a very good player capable of scoring some spectacular goals.

I know the Aberdeen supporters may be disappointed that it is another loan signing but it looks

“Rangers will know £300,000 is nowhere near the true value of McLean”

possible that this transfer could turn into a permanent deal.

The Dons tried their best to sign Ryan Christie on a permanent basis rather than on loan, but Celtic weren’t keen.

Stewart still has two years left on his contract at Birmingham City but the Blues may be persuaded to let him leave next summer.

McInnes has been a long-term admirer of Stewart, having tried to sign him from Dundee last summer. He has finally got his man and I expect Stewart to be a success at Pittodrie.

orthern Ireland international Kyle Lafferty has returned to Scottish football by signing for Hearts – but it is a risky move for the Jambos. Lafferty was a very inconsistent player when he was at Rangers. He would be magnificent one week and then...