Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has now told all the players with no Pittodrie future they will leave at the end of the season.
Players not in his plans have been informed they will exit the club as Goodwin begins his summer rebuild.
Goodwin recently terminated the contracts of striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and striker Mikey Devlin.
Long-serving defender Andy Considine will also leave at the end of the campaign as a new contract was taken off the table after talks broke down.
Now the remaining players set for the Pittodrie exit have been notified.
The Reds boss wanted to inform players of his decision early to allow plenty of time to line up new clubs.
Goodwin accepts players have families to support and bills to pay.
He did not want them to suffer the stress of a late summer scramble to find a new club.
He said: “I have worked with managers in the past who don’t tell you whether they want you to stay or not until a week before your contract ends.
“I always try to give the players enough time.
“I think that’s the right way to do it.
“These players, like any other people out there, have families depending on them.
“They have bills that need to be paid.
“It is in their best interest to try to get themselves fixed up as soon as they can.”
Honest conversations with players
When appointed manager in mid-February Goodwin said he would give every player the opportunity to their future at Pittodrie.
After almost two months of assessment he has made the call on who will be part of his plans going forward, and who won’t.
He believes players set for the Pittodrie exit appreciated him explaining his decision and also making an early call.
Goodwin explained: “I have had honest conversations with a lot of players and told them my reasons for the decision I came to.
“They have all been very understanding of it.
“Personally I think that’s the best way to do it. Other managers do it differently.
“People say you shouldn’t tell them until the end of the season and keep them all onside.
“However the players have a fair idea whether they are part of your plans or not anyway.
“That’s how I like to do it and I think the players certainly appreciate that as well.”
No concerns over commitment
A number of players have contracts set to expire at the end of the season – Dylan McGeouch, Funso Ojo and Michael Ruth.
The loan deals for Teddy Jenks (Brighton and Hove Albion) and Adam Montgomery (Celtic) also expire at the end of the season.
Goodwin has yet to officially confirm the players set to leave at the end of the campaign.
Aberdeen have five games in the Premiership bottom six remaining before the end of a disappointing campaign.
Currently ninth in the table the Pittodrie gaffer aims to end the season on a note of positivity by finishing seventh.
However, Aberdeen are also only six points ahead of St Johnstone who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
The slim threat of being dragged into the relegation play-off zone needs to be extinguished quickly.
The Reds need bottom six wins.
Goodwin is confident players informed they have no Aberdeen future will not down tools if called upon.
He said: “If players are not playing for a contract here they are obviously trying to impress somebody else to get a contract somewhere else.
“It’s part and parcel of football. Players know how it works.”
The need to ‘freshen things up’
Goodwin has already made a big call with the decision to withdraw the contract offer to Scotland international Considine.
After 18 years in the first team squad Considine will call time on his Dons’ career at the end of the season.
Others will also leave before Goodwin ramps up his recruitment campaign in the summer transfer window.
Goodwin said: “It was only natural I would come in here and want to freshen things up a wee bit.
“Only time will tell whether the decisions you make are the right ones or the wrong ones.
“I am confident in the process.”
