Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass hopes Vicente Besuijen is not the only signing to bolster his attack before the January window closes.
Glass confirmed he still wants to add more attacking players before the winter window shuts at midnight on Monday.
The Reds splashed out a ‘big investment’ to land winger Besuijen from Dutch side ADO Den Haag.
Besuijen was secured on a four-and-a-half-year contract, subject to international clearance, to beef up the Dons’ frontline.
The 20-year-old had scored six goals and pitched in with 10 assists in the Dutch second tier this season.
However, Glass would ideally like to add more even more firepower this month to strengthen the Premiership campaign and Scottish Cup bid.
Asked if he was still looking to add more attacking players this window, Glass said: “It would be nice, yes.
“It is going to be difficult, because the club made a big investment in Vicente as well.
“However, you are always asking for more as a manager and staff.”
Besuijen not available for St Mirren
Netherlands Under-19 cap Besuijen will not be available to make his Dons debut against St Mirren on Tuesday night.
Glass said: “It’s going to be a work permit thing. It will take a bit longer with Brexit.
“He won’t be available for St Mirren.”
Euro competition to sign Besuijen
Aberdeen beat competition from clubs in Europe and Scotland to land the highly-rated winger.
Besuijen came through the youth academy at Dutch giants Ajax before transferring to Italian side Roma.
He featured in the Europa Youth League with both Ajax and Roma, facing teams like Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.
Former Spurs manager Martin Jol brought the player back to Holland in 2020 when signing him for ADO Den Haag.
On moving to ADO Den Haag, he quickly broke into the first team, where the winger has been a first team starter for two seasons.
He can play wide or off the front
Winger Besuijen is in contention to make his debut in Saturday’s home Premiership clash with St Johnstone.
Glass insists he is an attacking talent signed to make an immediate impact in the first team.
He said: “Vicente is here to be a big part of what we’re doing.
“He’s an attacking player, he can play wide, he can play off the front.
“Vicente’s at the top end of the pitch and can play right across the front.
“The recruitment team, headed up by Darren Mowbray (head of recruitment), and the staff started looking at him and decided that he’s the one that we wanted to go for.
“He played for Den Haag in the Eredivisie last year.
“Vicente has a good number of games for a young player, a good pedigree.
“We feel like this is a great place for him to continue his development.
“He’ll really help us and we’ll help him in his career.”
Dons stretching scouting network
Besuijen is the second young overseas player secured by Aberdeen during the January transfer window.
American midfielder Dante Polvara, 21, was signed from Georgetown University on a two-and-a-half-year contract.
Aberdeen pipped Hibs, as well as as host of MLS and German and Italian clubs, to land Polvara.
Glass said: “There’s a head of recruitment in Darren (Mowbray), who has a drive towards trying to find players that people aren’t looking at.
“However, you still find you’re competing with clubs in this country and in Europe.
“It’s something that, with the type of player you identify, they’re always popular, they’re always in demand.
“We’re delighted Vicente’s chosen to come here and we’ve been able to get it done.”
🙌 𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗧!
Vicente Besuijen gaat per direct aan de slag bij Aberdeen FC, de huidige nummer zes uit de Schotse Premiership. Lees meer ⤵️
— ADO Den Haag (@ADODenHaag) January 24, 2022
The winger has only been with Den Haag for 18 months, having arrived on a free transfer from Serie A giants AS Roma.
Boss Glass was satisfied Aberdeen successfully fought off competition from clubs across Europe to land the 20-year-old.
He said: “It means you’re looking at the right people and you want people to want to come to your club.
“Vicente has shown a clear desire to come here.
“You want to be the team that gets players when players have choices. Of course you do.”
Latest Dutch star at Pittodrie
Aberdeen has a rich heritage of Dutch players making a major impact at the club and in Scotland.
Playmaker Hans Gilhaus was signed in 1989 from PSV Eindhoven and was an immediate hit at Pittodrie.
The former European Cup winner netted a brace against Dunfermline on his debut, including a memorable overhead kick.
Gilhaus would also go on to win the Scottish Cup with Aberdeen in 1990.
Aberdeen fans will be hoping Besuijen can make such an immediate, and sustained, impact as Dutch international and Pittodrie legend Gilhaus.
Dutch keeper Theo Snelders was signed for for £300,000 from FC Twente in 1988 and won the Scottish Cup and League Cup double in 1990.
Other memorable Dutch stars at Pittodrie are Willem van der Ark, Theo ten Caat and Peter van de Ven.
Asked if the previous Dutch players at Aberdeen could be of benefit to Besuijen, Glass said: “Probably for his own comfort level, yes, I would say so.
“(And) for us as a club knowing we can add people that are comfortable coming across here.
“For Vicente, as a young player, knowing there is a track record of that as well is good.
“He obviously had choices across Europe at that point.
“For him to choose to come to Scotland shows what the country is doing at the minute and us as a club.”
