The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Aberdeen squad are ‘playing for futures’
Interim boss Peter Leven has warned Aberdeen players they are fighting for their Pittodrie futures as the new manager will be watching.
The Dons are expected to secure Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin as their next permanent manager.
It is understood Thelin, 46, will move to Pittodrie in early June when the Swedish top flight enters a summer break.
That will allow Elfsborg an adequate time frame to line up a replacement coaching team.
Elfsborg’s final game before the Allsvenskan enters the summer shutdown is against IFK Goteborg on June 1.
It is understood Thelin will bring his assistants Emir Bajrami and Christer Persson with him to Aberdeen.
Leven is to remain in interim charge until the end of the season, overseeing the final five post-split Premiership fixtures and the bid to end a 34-year Scottish Cup drought.
Aberdeen face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden on Saturday.
Leven reckons Aberdeen’s new gaffer will be watching the Dons in action and assessing the squad.
He said: “If the club are speaking to certain managers, I’m sure he’ll have an eye on all of their games and he’s watching the games.
“Whoever’s out of contract, they’re playing for their future, whether it’s here or somewhere else.
“And their standards need to be high anyway.
“I’ve always said to them, you have to perform every day in training and every matchday, because you never know who’s watching for you to get a move.
“Or the new manager’s watching to come in to keep you.
“Even the boys who are under contract – they need to perform for this next coach coming in.
“And they need to perform for themselves and the fans right now.
“Everybody’s got a lot to play for.”
It is understood Elfsborg are already in the advanced stages of arranging a replacement for Thelin and his management team.
Four Aberdeen first team regulars are out of contract at the end of this season – Kelle Roos, Connor Barron, Jonny Hayes and Junior Hoilett.
Aberdeen remain keen to secure Barron on a new deal but the midfielder is a target for Italian Serie A clubs Sassuolo and Cagliari.
Should Scotland U21 international captain Barron move on in the summer, the Dons would be entitled to around £500,000 in training compensation.
Centre-back Stefan Gartenmann’s loan from Danish top flight club Midtjylland also expires at the end of the season.
Aberdeen had opened talks to buy Gartenmann permanently under former boss Barry Robson, who was sacked on January 31.
Asked if Leven had held discussions with players regarding their futures, he said: “No, I haven’t spoken to them about contracts or anything.”
Aberdeen are undefeated in four Premiership games under Leven, although the previous two matches have been 0-0 stalemates.