Hibs teenager joins Dumbarton on loan

Aberdeen have agreed terms with Shaun Maloney and the Scottish international will sign a one-year contract with the club.

The 34-year-old will officially join Derek Mcinnes’ squad for the 2017/18 season once he passes a medical.

Aberdeen have sought the former Celtic attakcer since early May, but looked resigned to losing their target when it was revealed Hull City had offered the player a new deal.

Maloney, though, chose to weigh up his options and has since decided to return to the city where he grew up following a two-year spell with the Yorkshire club.

The player will become Aberdeen’s fourth signing of the summer, after Greg Tansey agreed a pre-contract in January and loan deals were successfully negotiated for Ryan Christie and Greg Stewart, from Celtic and Birmingham respectively.

Maloney will add to Aberdeen’s arsenal in the attacking midfield area, as Mcinnes looks to offset the loss of both Jonny Hayes and Niall Mcginn.

A Scottish international with 47 caps, he’ll provide experience to the squad and is comfortable playing any of the three positions behind the striker in Aberdeen’s preferred 4-2-3-1.

Maloney has two spells with Celtic, where he came through the youth ranks, earlier in his career. He also played for Aston Villa, Chicago Fire and Wigan Athletic. He won the 2013 FA Cup with the latter, providing the assist for the only goal of the game. Dumbarton have been given the green light to bring promising Hibs defender Ryan Porteous in on loan.

The 18-year-old centre back spent last season gaining experience in League Two with Edinburgh City. Dumbarton manager Stephen Aitken said: “Everything has been agreed for Ryan to come.”