Chairman Dave Cormack has confirmed Aberdeen aim to utilise Atlanta United’s extensive scouting network in South America.
And the MLS club will also have access to the Dons’ knowledge of the European market.
Aberdeen Head of Recruitment Darren Mowbray has visited almost 20 European countries in recent months in the search for talent.
The Dons’ hunt for stars recently expanded to Africa with Mowbray travelling to Ghana to look at players.
Now Mowbray is in the United States for Aberdeen’s week long training camp in Atlanta.
Aberdeen entered into a strategic partnership with Atlanta United in November 2019.
Mowbray will meet the MLS club’s recruitment team.
Cormack also hopes young Dons stars can go on loan to Atlanta United 2, their second string, to play in the USL Championship.
Cormack told RedTV: “They (Atlanta United) have tremendous access to the South American market.
“And we have tremendous access to the work Darren Mowbray and his team have done across all these countries in Europe.
“The football side of the business have meetings with the recruitment side at Atlanta.
“We can share recruitment.”
Young stars could go to Atlanta on loan
Aberdeen brought seven young players to Atlanta from the U18 squad that has been so impressive this season.
All seven featured in the 1-0 friendly defeat of an Atlanta United XI at the clubs’ $60 million training complex.
The young stars in the States are Blessing Oluyemi, Blair McKenzie, Dylan Lobban, Findlay Marshall, Liam Harvey, Alfie Bavidge and Adam Emslie.
Aberdeen first team-regular Jack MacKenzie was set to go on loan to Atlanta United 2 in 2020.
However that move was stopped by the coronavirus pandemic.
Cormack revealed Scotland U21 international Connor Barron was also potentially set to go on loan to Atlanta United 2.
The Dons chairman hopes rising young Dons stars can go on loan to play in the USL Championship to gain valuable experience.
He said: “We would like to potentially see a couple of our younger players come out here and play for Atlanta United 2.
“The USL is very competitive.
“You saw in the friendly those players in the USL are playing in a national league across the country.
“That experience for some of our younger boys could be invaluable.
“Jack MacKenzie and potentially Connor Barron were going to come out and play for Atlanta United that season (2020)”
Both clubs can learn a lot from partnership
Aberdeen’s friendly with an Atlanta United XI was watched live on YouTube by 18,000 fans.
More supporters also watched the action on RedTV and fans travelled to Atlanta for the clash.
Some fans even jetted across from Scotland to watch the friendly.
Cormack believes the clubs can both benefit substantially from the strategic partnership.
He said: “We put the partnership together with Atlanta United in November 2019 and then two or three months later Covid strikes.
“So we have not really been able to maximise the opportunity.
“Some of the things Rob Wicks (Commercial Director) has implemented in the last few years on fan engagement has been a result of talking to Atlanta and sharing best practices.
“But it goes both ways.
“We are a historied club of 120 years and they have a lot to learn from us as well, particularly on the Academy side.”
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