Former Don Lee Miller reckons European group stage action will keep strike duo Duk and Bojan Miovski at Pittodrie next season.
And he thinks the prolific strike partnership can lead a charge by the Dons to split the Old Firm in the Premiership.
Aberdeen are braced for potential bids for goal heroes Duk and Miovski during the summer transfer window.
The strikers hit a combined total of 36 goals in all competitions last season, with 18 each.
Premiership clubs Everton and Burnley have Cape Verde international Duk on their radar and had the 23-year-old watched.
Championship clubs Blackburn Rovers and Hull City are also monitoring the former Benfica striker, who was Aberdeen’s Player of the Season.
Italian Serie A clubs Bologna and Spezia both sent representatives to watch both Duk and Miovski in action.
Bologna signed Lewis Ferguson in a £3 million deal from Aberdeen last summer and the midfielder has been a huge hit in Italy.
Southampton, recently relegated to the English Championship, were understood to be monitoring Miovski.
Italian Serie A giants Lazio reportedly considered moving for Miovski in the January window and French club Stade de Reims were also monitoring the striker.
However, Miller hopes Euro group action and the positive environment created at Pittodrie by boss Robson will see both players remain in the Granite City.
Former Aberdeen striker Miller said: “Duk and Miovski are both very good.
“So it is no surprise there is talk about clubs being interested in them.
“Hopefully Aberdeen can keep them.
“Aberdeen have European group stage football next season, so why wouldn’t they stay?
“Europe is where players want to play and they will have that in the groups.
“Securing European football is absolutely massive.
“Obviously the Premiership is Aberdeen’s bread and butter.
“First and foremost they have to try to get as far up the league as possible and try to split the Old Firm if they can.”
Environment under Robson allows Duk and Miovki to ‘flourish’
Aberdeen have Duk and Miovski tied down to long-term deals.
North Macedonian international Miovski is contracted until summer 2026, while Duk has two years left on his Dons deal.
Pittodrie chairman Dave Cormack recently said the Dons have no plans to sell prize assets Duk and Miovski this summer.
They are under no pressure to sell any players as Aberdeen are set to bank at least £5 million from reaching the group stages in Europe.
Aberdeen view the benefit of having Duk and Miovski lead the line in Europe as being worth more than any transfer fee.
Miller reckons the atmosphere and camaraderie fostered under Barry Robson will also be key to the duo remaining, and both Duk and Miovski have already stated they are happy at Aberdeen.
Miller said: “I think they both enjoy themselves in Aberdeen as Barry has created a really good atmosphere.
“He has also created an environment for Duk and Miovski to flourish and play their football.
“I love watching a strike partnership like Duk and Miovski.
“They have linked up really well together and both scored a lot of goals.”
Duk set for crunch AFCON qualifier as Miovski rehabs ankle injury
Capped three times, Duk is currently on duty with the Cape Verde international squad ahead of a crunch Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Cape Verde have a home friendly against Morocco on Monday.
It is a warm-up for a top-of-the-table qualifier with group leaders Burkina Faso on Sunday June 18.
Cape Verde are in a strong position to qualify and can seal their spot in next year’s finals against Burkina Faso.
The leaders are three points ahead of second-placed Cape Verde.
The top two nations qualify automatically, and third-placed Eswatini are five points behind Cape Verde with only two games remaining.
The Africa Cup of Nations is held in Ivory Coast next year from January 13 to February 11.
Our 2022/23 Goal of the Season, sponsored by Cable Solutions Worldwide, is Luis 'Duk' Lopes for his brilliant goal against Dundee Utd.
Many congratulations Duk ⚽️ 👏 pic.twitter.com/P6AGtV2D18
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) May 4, 2023
Meanwhile, Miovski was in contention to star for North Macedonia in the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Ukraine on June 16 and England at Old Trafford three days later.
However, the striker was stretchered off the pitch having suffered an ankle injury in the 3-0 defeat of St Mirren at Pittodrie May 24.
St Mirren’s Thierry Small was red carded for the challenge.
Aberdeen boss Robson confirmed Miovski would miss the Euro 2024 qualifiers and the Dons’ pre-season.
However, Miovski has since taken to social media to indicate he could be back for the start of pre-season.
— Bojan Miovski (@bojanmiovskii) June 1, 2023
Miller’s memories of Uefa groups in 2007
Former Scotland international Miller was an integral part of the last Aberdeen side to qualify for the group stages in Europe.
In 2007, the Dons knocked Ukrainian side Dnipro out of qualifying to reach the groups of the Uefa Cup.
They faced Atletico Madrid, FC Copenhagen, Panathinaikos and Lokomotiv Moscow.
The Reds qualified from the group in third to face German giants Bayern Munich in the knock-out round, drawing 2-2 at Pittodrie before a 5-1 loss in the second leg.
Miller, 40, said: “All the boys from that team still talk about that European campaign. It was so massive for us.
“We still bring up those group games and how we went through to play Bayern Munich.
“Hopefully Aberdeen can also have a successful campaign in the group stages of Europe as well.”
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