Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes believes midfielder Jonny Hayes is fully deserving of a place on the shortlist for the PFA Scotland player of the year award.
The Republic of Ireland international has made it to the final four for the award for the second successive season.
Hayes, who has scored eight goals and provided 22 assists in 40 games for the Dons this season, is joined on the shortlist by three Celtic players – Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Stuart Armstrong.
McInnes believes the player, the subject of two failed transfer bids from Championship club Cardiff City in the January transfer window, is playing the best football of his career.
He said: “Managers are always biased towards their own players, but I am delighted other people view Jonny the way we all do at the club.
“Being nominated for the award is great recognition for him.
“We always feel the strength of what we are is as a team, but we have good individuals who consistently play well.
“Jonny has shown a real level of improvement every year. He has had a fantastic season and we are getting more out of him in terms of goals and assists. He has always been a very big team player. He has had an excellent season and I think it is fantastic he has been voted as one of the nominees. A lot of teams view Jonny as the player in our team they need to keep quiet. He can have a real influence in games and this award is voted for by his fellow players so they obviously feel that way.
“For our own player of the year awards, we could have about half a dozen players in the running.
“That is probably the most we have had making a case for winning the award during my time at the club.”
Aberdeen midfielders Kenny McLean and Graeme Shinnie are reported have a strong chance of being included in next month’s Scotland squad to face England on June 10. National team manager Gordon Strachan is concerned about the impact the English Championship season ending this weekend could have on his squad.
Eleven players with second-tier clubs south of the border were included in Strachan’s previous squad for the 1-0 win against Slovenia on March 26.
McLean and Shinnie will both be playing competitively until May 27 when the Dons take on Celtic at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.
McInnes added: “We are always delighted any time our players are involved.”
