Aberdeen manager is set to get down to business

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee will start assessing his inheritance this morning when the Dons squad reports for pre-season training.

McGhee’s attempts to bring in new arrivals will also now gather pace.

The Dons will spend the next 10 days in Scotland, with players having their fitness assessed and beginning endurance work ahead of the new campaign, before heading to a nine-day training camp in Austria next Friday. The SPL kick-off is seven weeks away but Aberdeen face a Europa League third round first leg tie in just four weeks.

McGhee is hoping to have his new signings along for the Austrian trip. They will take on German side 1860 Munich on Saturday, July 18, with free agent Stephen Hughes still his leading target.

Hughes is weighing up his options after his contract expired at Motherwell, where he played under McGhee, but the 26-year-old will be pressed for an answer this week.

McGhee has other options should Hughes decide against a move to the north-east and, with hundreds of players in Scotland and England out of contract today, the market will be flooded.

Former Motherwell midfielder Maros Klimpl could still link up with his former manager at Pittodrie. The 28-year-old, who is negotiating his release from Denmark’s side Midtjylland, is on trial at Cardiff City this week.

McGhee will this week hold talks with Plymouth about the prospect of signing former Motherwell full-back Jim Paterson on a season’s loan deal. Paterson is believed to be keen to return to Scotland .

Former Dundee United and Ross County utility player Jamie McCunnie has also been linked with a potential move to Pittodrie. McCunnie is a free agent after his release by English League 1 Hartlepool United. He has been offered the chance to train with Hearts, with coach Csaba Laszlo keen to run the rule over him.