Aberdeen loan signing Liam Scales aims to mark a season-long loan at Pittodrie by lifting silverware.
Scales has been secured by Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin from Premiership champions Celtic.
The 23-year-old defender also hopes a switch to the Granite City can help him break into the Republic of Ireland senior squad.
Scales is Goodwin’s second signing in 24 hours following the capture of defender Jayden Richardson from Nottingham Forest on a three-year deal.
Signed by Celtic last summer in a £500,000 transfer until summer 2025, the defender has made 13 appearances for the Hoops.
The left-sided centre-back insists boss Goodwin sold a move to Aberdeen to him.
He is determined to mark his time in the Granite City by ending the club’s trophy drought dating back to 2014.
As per the terms of his loan agreement, Scales will be unavailable for the Premiership opener against his parent club at Parkhead on Sunday, July 31.
‘You have to be ambitious at the start of the season’
Scales told RedTV: “It would be great to win something here.
“Every year you gear up to win silverware.
“The manager is building a squad here and I’m sure his ambition is to win things.
“We want to finish as high up the table as we can and there are cups we can go and win, too.
“You have to be ambitious at the start of the season.
“I can’t wait to get going to help us try to win something.”
Aberdeen can ignite cap dream
The Celtic defender is Goodwin’s third signing of a summer rebuild.
A Republic of Ireland Under-21 internationalist, winning six caps, Scales was called up to the senior squad in 2021.
🔴 📹
A first training session at Cormack Park for Jayden and Liam. pic.twitter.com/0mnfSbpHne
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) June 21, 2022
Scales hopes regular action with Aberdeen can help him realise his Republic of Ireland senior international cap dream.
He said: “I have worked with Stephen Kenny (Republic of Ireland manager) before with the Irish U21s for two years.
“He has been in contact with me and to be in the Irish squad you have to be playing regular first-team football to have a chance to get in.
“So I’m hoping this will help me and if I’m on form I’ll get in.
“I have been called in to squads and have been on standby.
“I just need to be playing regularly to really get my place in that team.
“It’s a goal of mine.”
‘Pressure is good. You can’t slack’
Scales trained with the Dons squad at Cormack Park on Tueesday.
He is in contention to make his debut in Saturday’s friendly away at Highland League Buckie Thistle.
The defender accepts there will be intense pressure on Goodwin’s rebuilt squad to deliver wins and success.
Scales relishes the expectation.
He said: “Pressure can be good because it keeps you on your toes as you know you have to perform every week.
“You can’t slack.
“It was the same with the last couple of clubs I have been with and I’m not expecting anything different here.
“Aberdeen is a massive club with a big fan base who expect the team to win and hopefully we can do that.”
🔴 Great to have you with us Liam. pic.twitter.com/ths6KVayyX
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) June 21, 2022
Goodwin tried to sign Scales before
Aberdeen boss Goodwin had previously tried to sign Scales while the defender was at League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers.
Now he has finally landed his man, albeit on a season-long loan.
Scales said: “He (Goodwin) has that history of taking Irish players from the League of Ireland.
“He tried to sign me at St Mirren when I was at Shamrock Rovers.
“That is good as he knows what he is getting in me as he has seen me playing.
“I’m just looking forward to working with him.
“I had been up here the last twice with Celtic.
“You can tell the buzz around the stadium as it is a big, big club.
“When I heard Aberdeen were interested, the gaffer got in touch and sold it to me.
“He sold it well and then we got things sorted out at Celtic.
“I’m delighted to be here now.”
Left-sided centre-back preference
Aberdeen boss Goodwin made signing a left-sided centre-back one of his priorities during the summer transfer window.
He recently admitted right-footed Scotland international David Bates was at a disadvantage for most of last season as he had to be deployed as left-sided centre-back.
Scales said: “My preferred position is probably left side of centre-back.
“However, I can play left-back or in a three if the system changes.
“I can play as a wing-back if need be, too, I am quite versatile.
“Everywhere I have been I’ve tried to play football so have learned from games and systems where the manager gives us that freedom to play out from the back.
“A strong part of my game will be keeping the ball on the ground.
“The manager has said that’s the way he wants to play this year and was one of the attractions for me coming here.”
Scales aims to also bring a goal threat
Scales netted twice for Celtic in 13 appearances last season.
As well as shoring up a Dons defence that struggled to secure a clean sheet last season, he also aims to bring a goal threat.
He said: ” I played higher up the pitch when I was younger and slowly moved back.
“But when I was at Shamrock in my last season I was at wing-back so I was higher up the pitch.
“And, at Celtic when I played, the way the manager plays I was a full-back, but I was inverted so I was coming inside.
“We were high up the pitch a lot and had a lot of the ball, so I got a few opportunities.
“I do chip in with goals every now and then.
“Defending is the main priority for centre-backs, but it is important to score, too.
“If it’s from a set piece or something, it’s always good for defenders to get goals.”
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