MACKAY-STEVEN FACES BIG CALL ON BIG APPLE

GARY MACKAY-STEVEN insists Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes will be the first to know once he decides where he will be playing his football next season. McInnes is eager to keep the winger, who is out of contract and has the option to take up a lucrative deal from Major League Soccer side New York City. ‘It’s going to be a massive decision,’ said the former Celtic and Liverpool player. ‘I’m 28 and there’s a lot of things I need to weigh up. I’ll think about it with the right people next week. You take what’s on the table and weigh up things. ‘With regards to New York or anything, I’ve not been one to get my head swayed. ‘Having been injured, it’s all been rehab for me over the last few months, just to make myself available. ‘The summer break is here now and the gaffer will be first to know. He’s not given me a deadline. We’ve not spoken an awful lot but we’ll definitely sit down and see what’s available. ‘Now the season has finished, it has been so quick. But the manager will be the first to know what happens.’ New York City, part of the City Football Group who also own Manchester City, first made a move for Mackay-Steven (left) back in January, emailing Aberdeen to keep them in the loop. The player, who has two Scotland caps to his name, asked for more time to consider his options — something that City sporting director, former Rangers player Claudio Reyna, was happy to do. The fact that Mackay-Steven didn’t immediately sign a pre-contract agreement with the super-rich club has been taken as a sign of encouragement by Dons fans eager for him to stay. ‘I’ve not ruled out staying but I’ve not ruled out anything,’ he said. ‘I need to think about a lot of things but the possibility of staying is still there. ‘Nothing is decided yet. I was focusing on getting back fit and pulling on the shirt again before the end of the season. ‘Nothing else has been sorted for the summer. I’ll sit down with my agent and my family next week and let the gaffer know. I’ll think about what offers are there next week but the past few months have been hard work with the physios to get fit. The injury was worse than first thought and I just wanted to play again. ‘I’ve been happy here. I love working with the manager and my team-mates. It’s a great place to be.’ Aware that a new training ground for the Dons is just around the corner, while plans for that long-awaited stadium move inch ever closer to completion, Mackay-Steven admitted: ‘The new facilities make Aberdeen more exciting going forward. Everyone associated with the club has been great and it is only going further with the training ground. ‘It’s a big factor and one I’ll definitely take into consideration.’