Former Aberdeen striker Billy Dodds believes Derek McInnes has been bold in gambling the club’s hopes of finishing third on a whole new forward line.
Sam Cosgrove, Curtis Main and Scott Wright all left Pittodrie on deadline day last Monday, while Bruce Anderson has joined Hamilton Accies on loan for the rest of the season.
Dodds, however, believes McInnes’ rapid turnaround of striking personnel was needed.
He said: “For one day of business I thought Derek did what had to be done on deadline day.
“Selling Sam Cosgrove for £2 million after he had been off the boil for two months was an unbelievable bit of business and it has been clear Curtis Main was never going to be a fans favourite. It just didn’t work out for him there and a fresh start suited him.
“As for the Scott Wright situation, Rangers had Aberdeen over a barrel. It was a similar situation from when Glen Kamara signed his pre-contract with Rangers when he was at Dundee two years ago.
“Rangers held all the bargaining power in terms of Wright and it suited all parties to get the deal done now rather than wait until the summer.”
Following their departure, Florian Kamberi, Fraser Hornby and Callum Hendry have arrived on loan as McInnes tries to reinvigorate his attack in the hope of seeing the goals begin to flow again.
Aberdeen have drawn a blank in front of goal in the last four games and drastic times have called for drastic measures at Pittodrie.
Hornby and Hendry have yet to get off the mark, while Kamberi is awaiting international clearance before he can make his debut.
Dodds believes all three offer a good blend for McInnes, however, and sees no reason why they cannot do well at Pittodrie.
He said: “You cannot say the guys who have come in are not players of substance.
“Florian Kamberi has got ability. We know that as he shown it before in this country. He made a great start at Hibs and if Aberdeen can get him back to that sort of form he will do well.
“Fraser Hornby is a young lad and we can see he needs games, but he has good game intelligence and is highly rated.
“Then you have Callum Hendry. He is a wee buzzbomb of a player and was a real livewire presence for St Johnstone last season.
“Those three players all offer something different and they will give Derek McInnes good options.”
However, while optimistic about the trio’s Pittodrie prospects, Dodds regards their arrival as a shrewd move by the Dons boss.
He said: “The best part of it is that if it does not work out then in the summer all three go back to their clubs and no harm has been done.
“That is why it is good business all round. Derek has had to take a gamble, but he has minimised the risk.
“If these lads do well then it helps them and Aberdeen. If it doesn’t quite work then there is no animosity there and scope to change it up again in the summer.”