Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists he is working tirelessly to deliver a successful summer rebuild.
Goodwin believes player recruitment is the most important aspect of a manager’s job.
He is determined to get his summer recruitment drive spot on to bring success back to the Dons.
Goodwin aims to strengthen a squad that slumped to a bottom six Premiership finish for the first time since 2013.
The Reds boss has already initiated talks with various transfer targets.
Goodwin and his recruitment team have been racking up the hours every day studying signing targets.
He is confident it will pay off with Aberdeen emerging from the transfer window stronger.
Goodwin said: “The most important part of being a manager is to make sure you get that recruitment right.
“The guys on the recruitment team are working tirelessly, as am I.
“We are watching games all the time.
“There is never a day goes by where we are not looking at a lot of players and trying to find out their contract situations.
“And trying to find out if they are the right type for Aberdeen.
“We will continue to do that from one window to the next window.”
The search for signings steps up
Goodwin recently confirmed the Aberdeen board have provided a “very competitive” budget to finance the squad overhaul.
That is despite the financial hit of missing out on the top six and European qualification.
Goodwin is working in conjunction with Head of Recruitment Darren Mowbray to secure signing targets in the summer.
Previously a senior member of Premier League Burnley’s European and domestic recruitment team, Mowbray joined the Dons last summer.
Mowbray had previously held senior roles at Leeds United and Middlesbrough.
Aberdeen have been linked with a summer move for St Mirren left sided defender Charles Dunne.
The 29-year-old defender is contracted to Goodwin’s former team until summer 2023.
It would take a six figure sum to land Dunne.
Ipswich Town keeper Vaclav Hladky is also reportedly on Goodwin’s radar.
The Pittodrie gaffer Goodwin previously worked with the Czech Republic stopper at St Mirren.
Hladky left St Mirren for League Two Salford City in August 2020 and was named best keeper in that division in his debut season.
That form led to Hladky securing a step up to League One with Ipswich where he was first choice for the first half of this season.
However Hladky lost his No.1 spot to Christian Walton following the arrival of new manager Kieran McKenna.
Wolves’ loan star Connor Ronan
Another player understood to be on Goodwin’s radar is Wolves’ midfielder Connor Ronan who is currently on loan at St Mirren.
Ronan will return to parent club Wolves at the end of the campaign.
The midfielder scored a double against Aberdeen in a 3-2 win for St Mirren in September 2021.
The 24-year-old received his first senior call-up for the Republic of Ireland for games against Belgium and Lithuania last month.
Ongoing discussions with targets
Goodwin has already informed all the players not part of his future plans that they will leave Pittodrie at the end of the season.
Now the next step is securing signings in the summer to rebuild to rebuild the squad after a poor campaign.
Goodwin reassured the Red Army he hopes to announce signings soon.
He said: “Hopefully we will have some good news for the supporters in the weeks ahead with some new additions coming in.
“We have identified some very good targets to come in and there are ongoing discussions with a number of them.
“I believe we have a really good recruitment strategy.
“My job is to strengthen the squad and to make us better than we were this season.
“And to make sure that we are not in this predicament again.”
