Pittodrie legend Eoin Jess hopes guaranteed European group stage action will see Leighton Clarkson sign for Aberdeen.
Dons great Jess rates Liverpool midfielder Clarkson very highly, and hailed the 21-year-old as “my type of footballer”.
Aberdeen boss Barry Robson wants to sign England under-20 international Clarkson on a permanent deal.
The Dons have a broad agreement in place with the Anfield club to secure the midfielder this summer.
However, that is subject to the 21-year-old agreeing terms.
It is understood talks have been placed on hold as Clarkson, who has a year left on his Liverpool contract, wanted to have a break and then consider his options.
Clarkson is on the radar of a number of English championship clubs who are targeting a potential summer swoop.
Reading, who have just been relegated to League One, are also interested in the playmaker.
Jess said: “Leighton Clarkson is my type of footballer.
“He has a great footballing brain and hopefully Aberdeen can get him back again for next season.
“That would be fantastic.
“He is very creative, a great passer and hardly gives the ball away.
“Leighton sounds like a really level-headed kid as well.
“Hopefully Aberdeen can get him back again as that would be a real positive.”
In an impressive loan season, Clarkson scored six goals and pitched in with nine assists for Aberdeen.
Clarkson’s superb free-kick goal in the 3-0 defeat of St Mirren helped the Dons secure a third-placed Premiership finish and European qualification.
🚀 🤯
WHAT. A. GOAL
👏🏽 Leighton Clarkson.#StandFree | #cinchPrem pic.twitter.com/4mz4FIP3bL
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) August 7, 2022
Boss Robson is eager to secure the midfielder’s return to Pittodrie to spearhead the European group stage campaign.
The Dons estimate qualifying for the groups will bring a financial boost of between £8 million to £9 million to the club.
Robson will bid to significantly strengthen his squad in the summer transfer window to fight on two fronts – domestically and in Europe.
Dons WILL get £2 million upfront for McCrorie
Meanwhile, Aberdeen are set to lose vice-captain Ross McCrorie who has agreed terms with Bristol City and is set to undergo a medical.
A report suggests Aberdeen would only receive £1 million upfront for McCrorie plus a potential further £1 million in add-ons.
However, sources close to the Pittodrie club maintain the Dons will receive £2m upfront with a further £1 million in potential add-ons.
Rangers are also due a percentage of the fee due to a sell-on clause inserted into McCrorie’s deal when moving permanently to the Dons from Ibrox in January 2021.
Aberdeen will enter the Europa League at the play-off stage on August 24.
That is just one two-legged tie away from the Europa League groups and guaranteed continental action until mid-December.
Should the Dons lose the play-off, they drop straight into the Conference League group stages.
Again, that guarantees European games until December.
European ‘stage’ can help lure transfer targets – Jess
Pittodrie great Jess reckons guaranteed continental action until Christmas can lure transfer targets like Clarkson.
He said: “Players want to play European football and have the opportunity to compete on that stage.
“Guaranteed European group stage football helps lure transfer targets, such as Clarkson.
“The new training facilities at Cormack Park also attracts players as well, which is another positive.
“Hopefully having European football will bode well for the transfer market and future signings that Barry Robson brings in.”
There was interest in Clarkson from Championship clubs West Bromwich Albion and Queens Park Rangers in January.
However, the midfielder was happy to stay on loan with the Dons for the rest of the season.
Clarkson recently claimed there is a “high possibility” he could be back at Pittodrie next season, but also said it would only happen if “everything was to be right”.
The buzz of Euro nights at Pittodrie
Revered as one of Aberdeen’s greatest-ever players, Jess had the magic, like Clarkson, to light up and transform a game.
At just 19 years old, Jess helped Aberdeen win the League Cup final in 1989.
Jess moved to the English top-flight with Coventry City in 1996.
He later returned to Pittodrie for a second spell at the Reds and racked up a combined total of 442 appearances, scoring 107 goals.
Now based in Barcelona, Jess said: “European nights at Pittodrie are always great and Barry Robson and his team have brought that back.
“Last season was up and down for Aberdeen but they finished really strongly.
“It was disappointing at the start of the year when they had to change manager, but Robson has come in and done a really good job.
“Hopefully that form will continue next season.”
Back in Aberdeen for a charity match
Jess was back in the Granite City at the weekend when playing in a charity match for Cash For Kids.
The match at Cove Rangers’ Balmoral Stadium on Sunday also included former Dons stars like Lee Miller, Jamie Langfield, Darren Mackie and Richie Byrne.
Jess, who jetted in from Spain to play in the charity match, said: “The game was for a really worthy cause in Cash For Kids.
“It is really important to do this and generate some cash for them.
“Graham (Watt, organiser) does a lot of work, and it is great to come and see some ex-team-mates and get involved.”
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