Dons boss scouring English market for striker after Cosgrove injury blow

Aberdeen are trying to sign a striker before the weekend as they come to terms with the loss of top scorer Sam Cosgrove to a serious knee injury.

Cosgrove, right, who scored 23 goals last season, is out for up to three months after sustaining cartilage damage during the friendly with Hibs at Pittodrie at the weekend.

Aberdeen kick off the new Scottish Premiership season with a home match against Rangers tomorrow and Dons manager Derek Mcinnes is scouring the English market in a bid to bring in a new forward on loan.

Aberdeen’s problems have been compounded by the news that their other frontline striker, Curtis Main, is also out injured.

Main was selected ahead of Cosgrove in a number of matches in the second half of last season but has been sidelined by a thigh strain.

It leaves Mcinnes with only Bruce Anderson as an attacking option for the lunchtime match with Rangers.

“Sam’s injury is not helped by the fact that Curtis Main is out for Saturday as well,” Mcinnes said. “He’s got a thigh strain so Curtis and Sam are both out. Apart from that everything else is brilliant.

“Bruce has been doing great anyway through pre-season so I’ve no qualms about throwing him in. We have a young boy who has been champing at the bit. He’s a regular goalscorer and we are fortunate to have him available.

“We’re clearly short on numbers at centre forward, so I walked wee Bruce off the training pitch today just to make sure he was fit. He’ll be ready to go on Saturday.”

Anderson scored a debut equaliser against Rangers when the sides met on the opening weekend of the 2018-19 season but, at 21, is still considered relatively inexperienced. He featured in 11 league matches last season, scoring once.

Aberdeen had not intended to dip into the transfer market ahead of the new season, having announced last week that players and staff had taken wage cuts averaging 20 per cent which would save the club £1 million. However, the injuries to Cosgrove and Main have forced their hand and Mcinnes is now utilising his contacts south of the Border in the hope of finding a new loan striker for the new season. The English league season has ended.

Cosgrove, who turned down a£2mmovetothefrenchsecond-tier side Guingamp earlier this summer, will be out for eight to ten weeks, according to Mcinnes.