We got our first look at Aberdeen’s new look last weekend, when Jimmy Thelin fielded a strong squad for their first pre-season friendly against Cove Rangers.

Two of the new signings made their debuts at Balmoral Stadium, with three more coming on at halftime – and a few stood out.

Nicolas Milanovic had a lively 45 minutes and should have scored, while Adil Aouchiche showed some nice touches and Kjartan Kjartansson remained composed and controlled. Nick Suman had a trouble-free half against his old team, while the Cove backline kept Kusini Yengi quiet.

Given that Devlin, Gueye, Morris, and Molloy appeared after the break, as well as the absence of Ester Sokler and Dante Polvara, who were instead sent to Turriff as part of a Dons XI, it is clear Jimmy will need to offload a few players before the window closes. According to my estimates, he has a first-team pool of nearly 30 players, which is unsustainable.

This season, the Swede will need a larger group, and he will also have to consider the European squad.

If he wants a squad of 25, he must include eight “locally-trained” players, and given that the majority of the manager’s signings have been imports, he will need to be mindful of the rule when putting it together.

More generally, space will need to be created, and I am sure the club will be actively considering exit strategies for a few players who faced the Highland League side.

Slobodan Rubezic and Richard Jensen were both loaned out last season, which must indicate their current situation, while Vicente Besuijen is another player who will most likely be allowed to leave.

Peter Ambrose falls into that category as well, following a disappointing first year at the club.

Aberdeen transfer exits could be tough to sort out

The challenge is getting these guys to move, which can be a difficult task.

They will all have lucrative contracts and are well within their rights to stay put.

The task for Aberdeen is to find clubs willing to spend the money required to secure them. While it is in their professional interests to resume regular play, financial security is equally important, and the Dons may have to wait.

Preparations for 2025-26 continue on Saturday with a friendly at Fulham’s training ground, followed by a match against Ipswich Town at Pittodrie next Friday.

The preseason has been light on games, but plenty of hard work was put in during the Portugal trip, and Jimmy is clearly confident his team will be ready for the Premiership opener at Tynecastle.

Of course, Hearts have already been in competitive action, and Derek McInnes has had a very good start with back-to-back Premier Sports Cup wins and eight goals scored.

His team will easily pass through the group. This has not been the case for some of the other Premiership teams, with Dundee, Motherwell, and St Mirren all struggling to some degree.

The Premier Sports Cup can be a confidence booster, as it was for the Dons last season, but it can also cause nerves to jangle before the league begins. Those teams will want to get their act together and gain some momentum.

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