Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass hopes to end the January transfer window with Mikey Devlin fit and signing a new contract.
Scotland international Devlin’s Aberdeen contract expires on January 31, the last day of the winter window.
The centre-back has not played for more than a year and his initial contract expired last summer.
However the Dons gave the 28-year-old a short term extension to allow a time frame to return to fitness and earn a new deal.
Capped three times Devlin has played just 56 minutes in the last 18 months.
He last featured as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren on December 5, 2020.
The defender is highly rated by Glass who has yet to have him available for selection since taking over as manager.
Glass confirmed Devlin is pushing to finally end his injury nightmare this month.
He hopes Devlin can win his fitness battle to earn a new contract.
He said: “Mikey is still making his comeback.
“He is still working away in the background.
“Mikey is contracted until the end of January and is still pushing to be back with us before that.
“We have shown at the moment that we are keen for him to make progress.
“We’ll see where we are at the end of January and so will Mikey.
“He knows what we think of him here and he knows what we want to happen.
“We’re all hopeful for him and all want the best for him.”
Short term contract to prove fitness
Devlin has not started a game for Aberdeen since a 2-2 draw with Kilmarnock in March 2020.
Scotland international centre-backs David Bates and Declan Gallagher were both signed by Glass during the summer transfer window.
However Glass would ideally like to secure Devlin on a new contract to add to his defensive selection options.
The short term contract was a show of faith by Aberdeen in the defender who has been dogged by injury in recent seasons.
Signed from Hamilton in January 2018, Devlin has made just 35 starts for Aberdeen.
He has made a further 16 appearances off the bench.
Having made an impressive start to his Dons career Devlin was selected for the Scotland squad in November 2018.
However the centre-back suffered a foot injury while training with Scotland ahead of a Nations League tie with Albania.
He had been set to start that Nations League match and earn a debut cap.
Devlin was ruled out for four months, missing the League Cup final loss to Celtic.
On returning to fitness the defender earned three Scotland caps in the 2019-20 season in Euro 2020 qualifiers against Russia, San Marino and Cyprus.
Injury misfortune strikes again
However, his injury misfortune struck again when missing the start of last season with a hamstring issue.
Devlin did not return to action until late November 2020 as a substitute.
Less than two weeks after that return Devlin suffered ankle ligament damage while blocking a shot in training.
He has yet to feature since that fresh setback.
Hopeful Considine will return ‘soon’
Glass has been unable to call on two Scotland international centre-backs for most of this season due to injury.
Andy Considine, 34, has been ruled out since suffering cruciate ligament damage in a Euro tie against Qarabag on August 25.
Considine caught his studs on the atrocious surface in Azerbaijan in a 1-0 Europa Conference Play off first leg loss.
The injury required surgery and recently said the first two-and-a-half months of his rehabilitation were the ‘hardest of my career’.
🏃🏽😅 @AberdeenFC pic.twitter.com/oCXn2DqsaE
— Andrew Considine (@AndyConsie4) January 7, 2022
Considine returned to running on grass at the club’s Cormack Park training facility in early December.
The defender, fourth in the club’s all time appearance list, recently posted footage on social media of him running at the training complex.
Glass is hopeful of seeing Considine back ‘fairly soon’ but will not put a date on his return to action.
Dons boss Glass said: “Andy’s still a little bit away.
“He’s doing his running and stuff, although the weather can curtail that a touch.
“He’s still making progress and we are still hopeful of seeing him fairly soon, but I don’t like to put dates on it.”
Kennedy set to end injury nightmare
Winger Matty Kennedy is set to end an eight month injury nightmare against Rangers at Pittodrie on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland international Kennedy has been ruled out all season by a back injury.
The 27-year-old’s last Dons appearance was as a substitute in a 1-0 loss at Hibs on May 1 last season.
Kennedy returned to training last month and is set to be available for selection for the Rangers match.
