Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass insists his squad are strong enough for Europe without adding any more signings.
Glass will lead the Reds into European action when facing BK Hacken in the Uefa Europa Conference League at Pittodrie on Thursday July 22.
Six new signings have been added this summer – Christian Ramirez, Scott Brown, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Declan Gallagher, Jack Gurr and Teddy Jenks.
Glass is confident the addition of those half dozen would ensure the Dons are robust enough for the Euro opener against the Swedish side.
However he refused to rule out raiding the summer transfer market further – even before that second qualifying round first leg tie.
On potential new signings, Glass said: “There’s nothing to report at the moment.
“We’re happy with what we have done so far but we’ll see where we are when the season starts.
“If we’ve got the same group we’ll be okay, if we’ve managed to add we’ll be happy.”
Signings ‘significant and high quality’
There will be no late summer rush for new signings as Glass was determined to get the majority of his transfer work done early to allow time to mould his restructured squad during pre-season training.
Aberdeen are now into the third week of that preparation and have a further two weeks before kick-starting the campaign with the Euro clash against BK Hacken.
Within days of his confirmation as new Aberdeen boss Glass made the first significant step of his rebuild by securing Celtic captain who agreed a pre-contract.
Glass was officially revealed as Dons boss on March 23 with confirmation Brown would join on a two-year player-coach contract coming just two days later on March 25.
The commitment of Brown to Glass’ rebuild was secured so early the former Scotland international captain had to face his future new club as Celtic captain when the Parkhead side came to Pittodrie.
Brown started in a 1-1 draw against his soon to be team-mates.
Scotland international Gallagher, part of Steve Clarke’s Euro 2020 squad, also committed to a two year Dons deal whilst Motherwell captain before the end of last season.
Striker Emmanuel-Thomas also agreed to move to Aberdeen on a two year deal just three days after the end of the Premiership season in May.
Glass said: “We did a lot of our work really early and perhaps it gets forgotten.
“If you look at the movement we’ve had as a whole it’s significant and high quality.”
Pre-season preparations step up
Glass is not only satisfied with his summer additions but also the amount of game time he will have secured for his squad ahead of the European opener with BK Hacken.
The Gothenburg side are nine games into their league campaign and moved off the foot of the table with a 2-1 home defeat of AIK on Sunday.
It was the first competitive game under new manager Per-Mathieas Hogmo, the former Norwegian international boss.
Första allsvenska målet för säsongen för Wålemark ✅ pic.twitter.com/kciVHs8m7U
— BK Häcken (@bkhackenofcl) July 8, 2021
Aberdeen have three friendlies at the club’s Cormack Park arranged before facing the Swedes.
Having already faced Inverness Caley Thistle the Reds will play Reading and St Johnstone on Friday July 16.
Aberdeen will face the English Championship side at 1.30pm before playing Scottish Cup and League Cup winners St Johnstone four hours later in a double header.
No concern about game time before Europe
As there is no supporter access to any of the friendlies the Red Army’s first experience of Glass’ new look side will be the Euro tie with BK Hacken.
Aberdeen have applied to the Scottish government to have a modest 2,000 supporters at Pittodrie for the Euro tie on July 22.
Asked if he was happy with the amount of game time his squad will have before facing BK Hacken, Glass said: “Yes. It has been a choice to control the football we get into them.
“It has been a choice to be here (Cormack Park) and control our environment because of the coronavirus.
“It it is a very balanced group we have and they will all be at a good level of fitness.
“They will all played enough game related things.
“There are closed door friendlies and you can do that stuff without inviting other teams in.
“They will be ready for the Hacken game, no doubt.”
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