Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass has confirmed Mikey Devlin is set to be offered a new contract.
Centre-back Devlin has been ruled out for more than a year due to long-term injury.
The 28-year-old has yet to play under manager Glass – but the Reds boss will secure him on a new deal until the end of the season.
Scotland international Devlin’s original contract expired last summer.
However, the Dons gave the 28-year-old a deal to prove his fitness.
That short-term deal expired on the final day of the January transfer window.
Closing in on a comeback, Devlin is set to return to training later this week.
He is set to be offered a six-month deal until the summer to get him back playing.
Capped three times, Devlin has played just 56 minutes in the last 18 months.
He last featured when introduced as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren on December 5, 2020.
Asked if Devlin was set to be offered a new contract, Glass said: “It looks that way, yes.
“He is very close to actually joining training.
“I think later in the week Mikey will be in training.
“He will get his way through training and we will see how he looks.”
A show of faith in Devlin by Aberdeen
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 transfer window last summer.
However, Glass will secure Devlin on a new contract to add to his defensive selection options.
Signed from Hamilton in January 2018, Devlin has made just 35 starts with a further 16 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.
Devlin was subsequently 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.
Dons’ patience in Devlin’s recovery
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.
Glass said: “We have been patient with it.
“Mikey has also been patient as he has had a couple of setbacks.
“The important thing is he has had his space and time.
“He feels like he is ready to come and tackle this now.
“Fingers crossed everything continues to go well as he has had a hell of a time.”
