Boss Stephen Glass is confident Ryan Hedges will continue to give his all for Aberdeen even if he agrees a pre-contract to exit Pittodrie.
Welsh international attacker Hedges is out of contract at the end of the season.
Glass insists the Dons have pushed finances as far as ‘they could stretch’ by offering Hedges an ‘unbelievable’ new contract.
Hedges has yet to sign that contract and Glass anticipates him leaving Aberdeen.
That could be during this month’s transfer window or in the summer when the 26-year-old’s contract expires.
Blackburn Rovers are favourites to land Hedges with the Championship side’s preference a pre-contract agreement.
Hedges has been free to talk to any interested clubs since the winter window opened on January 1.
He could reach a pre-contract agreement to join another club in the summer.
Blackburn had a bid of around £400,000 for Hedges rejected last summer and are set to launch a fresh bid to secure the attacker this month.
If Hedges is to play on for the second half of the campaign knowing he will exit for another club Glass has no concerns about his commitment.
Aberdeen are also set to play four games before the window closes.
Glass said: “I think Ryan has shown in his performances that his head is right anyway.
“Like Calvin (Ramsay), only performances are going to get him to what he feels he wants.”
An ‘unbelievable’ offer to stay
Aberdeen were desperate to secure Hedges on a new contract which has been on the table for a number of months.
Blackburn are favourites to land Hedges who netted the equaliser in the 2-1 defeat of Dundee on Boxing Day.
It is now a waiting game for the attacker to make a decision on his future.
Glass said: “He’s been made an unbelievable offer by the club to stay here.
“As far as the club could stretch.
“At the moment, he’s not looking to sign it.
“With the situation he’s got to with this length of time left on his contract, he’s well within his rights to seek what’s out there for him.”
Still hope of a late Hedges U-turn
Although Glass is resigned to Hedges exiting he has not giving up all hope of the attacker assessing his options away from Pittodrie – and yet concluding Aberdeen is the better option.
He said: “At the minute, to me, it looks like he won’t be here.
“It’s whether that’s in the summer or January, or he comes back and says, ‘You know what, there’s nothing out there that I like better than being here.’
“That will either resolve itself in January or before the summer.”
Aberdeen braced for Ramsay bids
Aberdeen are also braced for bids for wanted teenage right back Calvin Ramsay.
Clubs across Europe are interested in the 18-year-old who is contracted to the Dons until summer 2024.
Premier League sides Manchester United, Liverpool, Leicester City, Newcastle, Watford, West Ham, Southampton and Norwich are all weighing up bids for Ramsay.
Italian Serie A outfit Bologna and German Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt are also in the race to land the teen.
A host of clubs have already contacted Aberdeen to enquire about Ramsay.
However Glass recently confirmed there have been no bids for the teen.
Two players have already exited Aberdeen with Austin Samuels (Wolves) and Matty Longstaff (Newcastle United) both returning to their parent clubs.
Window will make us stronger
Aberdeen are keen on signing St Mirren’s Republic of Ireland international midfielder Jamie McGrath.
The 25-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season.
St Mirren have made him a contract offer to make him the best paid player in the club’s history but McGrath has yet to sign.
Should Aberdeen be unable to land McGrath this month they are eager to tie him down on a pre-contract.
Aberdeen have have also reportedly targeted St Johnstone’s cup-double winning goalkeeper Zander Clark.
Clark is out of contract in the summer and Aberdeen have been linked with a pre-contract move.
Glass has a policy on not commenting on speculation linking him to players at other clubs.
He said: “Anything we do in the transfer window will be done to make us stronger.”
