Robson to assess deals for Williams and Dadia

Aberdeen boss Barry Robson has revealed he is set to assess the Pittodrie future of loan players Rhys Williams and Or Dadia.

He also confirmed frozen out Vicente Besuijen is working hard in training but “other players are ahead of him”.

Robson also revealed the Dons remain in dialogue with Connor Barron regarding a new contract. The Dons boss insists the club “are trying to get some positive news as quickly as we can” on Barron, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

Williams, Dadia and Besuijen have yet to play any Premiership minutes for the Dons this season.

Centre-back Williams was secured on a seasonlong loan from Liverpool and has Champions League group stage experience with the Anfield club. Full-back Dadia arrived on a season loan from Israel top flight club Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

Aberdeen have the exclusive option to buy the Israeli international following the loan spell.

Play-maker Besuijen was initially a key first-team star but has fallen down the pecking order.

Talking at the club’s 120th AGM at Pittodrie last night, Robson addressed the situation with Dadia and Williams.

He said: “They are some things we are looking at, at the moment.

“Stefan Gartenmann came in and did well along with Richard Jensen who have both done well and so Rhys has found it tough to get into the team.

“Or Dadia, he is a lovely guy. It is not easy coming into a new team and culture.

“The emergence of Jack Milne has been a big plus. It (loan deal) is something we are looking at and we will decide on closer to that time.”

Liverpool are reportedly considering recalling Williams from the Dons loan spell in January to ease a defensive crisis.

Williams, 22, has only featured once for the Dons when starting the 2-1 League Cup defeat of Stirling Albion on August 18.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been hit by defensive injury problems and young players have been asked to deputise.

That could see Klopp trigger the recall clause on Williams rather than dip into the January transfer market for back-up.

Dutch winger Besuijen has not featured so far this season and was omitted from the Dons’ squad for the Europa Conference League campaign.

Besuijen, who is under contract until the summer of 2026, has scored nine goals in 42 appearances for the Dons. He joined the club from ADO Den Haag in January last year.

The winger spent the second half of last season on loan at Excelsior Rotterdam but played only twice due to injury.

Robson said: “Vicente has been really good and has worked hard in training.

“He has had some other players ahead of him in the way we are trying to do things.

“He is working so hard in training.”

Aberdeen are still locked in discussions with Scotland under-21 international Barron on a new deal.

With his current contract set to expire at the end of the season, Barron will be free to talk to any interested clubs when the January transfer window opens.

The Dons initially opened talks with the Pittodrie youth academy graduate and his representative more than a year ago. A deal was offered but there was no resolution. Now they are back around the table.

Barron broke into the Dons first team in January 2021, having been recalled from a loan spell at Kelty Hearts. He became one of the Reds’ standout performers in the second half of that campaign.

That form saw Barron on the radar of Celtic, English Premier League side Brentford and Belgian club

Genk during last summer’s transfer window.

However Barron suffered a frustrating 2022-23 campaign due to injury.

Robson said: “I was lucky enough to take him through with me (at the youth academy).

“Connor went through some injury struggles but we managed to get a proper pre-season under him.

“We’ve started to see him grow and back to himself. We are in dialogue with Connor regarding a contract. We are trying to get some positive news as quickly as we can.”