Polvara puts difficult start behind him

Dante Polvara feels he has grown into life as an Aberdeen player after a chastening start to his time at Pittodrie.

The 23-year-old American joined the Dons in January 2022 but his first 18 months did not go to plan, with manager Stephen Glass sacked just a month after signing him.

Polvara struggled for game time under the next boss, Jim Goodwin, and was then loaned to Charleston Battery in his homeland last season as he battled to rebuild his shattered confidence.

Polvara was given a fresh start by Barry Robson when he returned to Aberdeen last summer and he has gone on to establish himself as a regular this term, making 36 appearances.

“I’ve grown a lot since I’ve been here,” he said ahead of today’s cinch Premiership match at home to Motherwell.

“This is my first professional club. Although

I was 21 when I arrived, I was still a baby when it comes to the professional scene and there’s a lot you need to learn.

“I’d trained with many professional clubs back home but it’s different actually being on the team and competing in games.

“Scottish football is very different to US soccer and that takes a while to get used to, and then on top of that you have to get used to the pressure and the fans, which is something else I wasn’t used to.

“My loan was to prove to the club that I could contribute but mainly to prove to myself because mentally I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t struggling at the time. I was struggling for confidence.

“I remember how nervous I was before I came on for my first game at Charleston. I was way more nervous then than I was walking out at Hampden against Celtic last weekend. That says a lot about how far I’ve come.

“It’s been a journey of highs and lows but I’ve got to see every side of football so far.”

Polvara’s increased status at Aberdeen was highlighted by the fact he started last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final showdown with Celtic, a match the Dons lost on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

They must now rouse themselves to play out their cinch Premiership campaign in the bottom six after struggling to replicate their impressive cup form in the league.

“It’s a challenge because we’re coming off such a big fixture at the weekend and we put so much into the game,” said Polvara.

“Everyone’s still thinking about it and talking about it but we have to completely put it behind us and try and find a way to replicate that energy and fight and quality that we put into it.

“We’re more than capable of doing so but Motherwell will have had the weekend off and will be looking to make us look silly.”

Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Feyenoord for their head coach Arne Slot to succeed Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season. The club made their move for the Dutchman earlier this week and it is now understood they have settled on a compensation package for the 45-year-old who had two years left on his contract. Slot, above, said on Thursday he was confident a deal would be reached after admitting it was “clear I would like to go to Liverpool”. Klopp is standing down at the end of the season after nine years at the helm and feels the team will be in good hands with Slot, who won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord last season. Klopp, whose side are in Premier League action away to West Ham at lunchtime today, said: “It’s not up to me to judge these things but it all sounds really good to me.”