Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes insists he has no concerns over new signing Stevie May’s fitness and could hand him his first Dons start against Ross County today.
The 24-year-old has returned to Scotland following a frustrating experience in English football.
May joined Sheffield Wednesday from St Johnstone in August 2014 before moving to Preston for £800,000 a year later.
But in only his eighth game for the Deepdale club, May sustained a career-threatening injury in a 1-1 draw with Fulham in November 2015.
His knee was so badly damaged all three of the ligaments holding the knee together had been shattered.
It took May 14 months before he was fit enough to return to top team football in a 4-2 win against Brentford in February earlier this year.
May has played only five competitive games since suffering the knee injury but McInnes is happy with the player’s fitness.
He said: “I’m delighted to get the opportunity to work with him. I’m well aware of his qualities and I think managers are always drawn to players they’ve worked with before because every signing has an element of risk.
“But when you’ve worked with a player before you have that more confidence and more trust in what you’re going to get.
“I feel we’re very fortunate to have the opportunity to sign a 24-year-old Stevie May on a four-year deal.
“When it comes along you’ve got to do all you can to make that happen. I’d no hesitation regarding injuries.
“We’ve done a thorough medical, as you’d expect, but the injuries haven’t put me off; injuries happen in football.
“I know the boy, I know his personality, I know his qualities, and I think it is a brilliant piece of business for the club.
“He’s in the squad for County. He’ll travel with the team and I have no worries about his fitness.”
The arrival of May at Pittodrie signaled the end of Miles Storey’s time with the Dons.
The 23-year-old Englishman signed a two-year deal with Partick Thistle yesterday after moving to Firhill for an undisclosed fee.
McInnes said: “It was really unfortunate the way things worked out for Miles as last season the team was second in the league and winning most weeks.
“He never really featured apart from occasionally from the bench and it was hard for him to break into the team.
“We spoke to him at the end of last season to say that if we got one or two targets in then we would allow him to go and play regular football elsewhere.
“We had to wait for that as we had European games and other matches to play when still getting people in but, having given him my word, it was only fair to let him move on.
“Some of his best stuff for us has been since he came back from preseason but I am sure he will go on and do well and we wish him well.”
Adam Rooney is available for today’s match against Ross County after missing the past four matches with a thigh injury.