Aberdeen boss Barry Robson said he held “open and honest” conversations with the players who have left the club.
As Robson’s summer rebuild ramps up Marley Watkins, Connor McLennan, Dean Campbell and Matty Kennedy have exited Pittodrie.
All four are out of contract and were not offered new deals.
The Dons have also confirmed youngsters Mason Hancock, Timi Fatona, Milosz Ochmanski and Blessing Oluyemi have left.
A further eight loan players have also all returned to their parent clubs.
In total 16 players have exited Pittodrie although the Dons are holding ongoing “positive discussions” with a number of loan stars in the bid to secure their return to Pittodrie.
Bids have been made to secure Leighton Clarkson (Liverpool), Graeme Shinnie (Wigan Athletic) and Liam Scales (Celtic) on permanent deals.
Robson admits he had difficult decisions to make with players leaving the club this summer.
However the Dons boss says every player exiting Pittodrie does so on good terms.
And he insists each one will “always have my number” if they need any help in the future.
Robson said: “I have always been open and honest with players and fans. That is the way I work.
“There is no hiding place.
“I want to communicate properly with them all and give them my honest thoughts.
“Even if players need to leave I wish them all the best.
“It is difficult but with some players it is not always down to me.
“They may want to move on and they may have other aspirations they want to follow.
“They always have my number if they need a helping hand with anything they are doing.”
Fox also departs Pittodrie
First-team coach Liam Fox will also leave the Reds after his short-term contract expired.
Former Dundee United manager Fox arrived at Pittodrie in March and played a part in the Dons securing a third-placed Premiership finish.
However the Dons confirmed family circumstances have prevented Fox from relocating to Aberdeen on a more permanent basis.
Aberdeen has already begun the process of identifying a replacement.
Manager Robson is building a squad capable of fighting on two fronts next season.
The Dons have secured European group stage football until mid-December, and a Euro cash boost of at least £5 million.
Aberdeen are in talks with Croatian midfielder Tonio Teklic and Slovenian striker Ester Sokler about summer switches.
The Reds need a striker to provide back-up to leading scorers Bojan Miovski and Duk due to the exit of Welsh international Watkins.
Robson’s summer rebuild ramps up
Attacker Watkins and Northern Ireland international winger Kennedy both had limited game time last season.
Watkins made 52 appearances (20 starts) and scored four goals for the Dons during two seasons on a permanent contract.
The 32-year-old only started four games last season.
Northern Irish international winger Kennedy arrived on a three-and-a-half-year deal from St Johnstone in January 2020.
The 28-year-old made 14 Premiership starts last term, taking his overall tally to 85 during his time at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen Youth Academy graduates Dean Campbell, 22, and Connor McLennan, 23, were both out on loan last season.
Midfielder Campbell won promotion to League One with Stevenage and McLennan was at St Johnstone.
Very best wishes Dean. You’ve done what all of us Dons fans could only dream of. You’ve always exhibited a positive attitude and you’re a decent and good young man. You have the skillset too, so go smash it. Once a Don… ⚽️❤️ https://t.co/p5yXBmh7bu
— Dave Cormack (@CormackDavie) June 13, 2023
Defender Mason Hancock, 20, made four starts for the Dons, all in the League Cup group stages last season.
Hancock was on loan at Arbroath for the first half of the campaign.
Robson said: “I haven’t had any issues with any player here.
“They have all been terrific, every single one of them.
“Even if the boys haven’t got the game time, they have worked hard in training every day.
“It is not always easy as a player when you are not playing.
“I wasn’t the easiest to deal with myself when I wasn’t playing.
“I understand that side for them but we still have a job to do on the football pitch.
“We need to try to win matches and I need to select the players I think will do that for us more often than not.”
‘Positive discussions’ with loan stars
Loan players and key first team starters Leighton Clarkson (Liverpool), Graeme Shinnie (Wigan), Liam Scales (Celtic) and Mattie Pollock (Watford) have all returned to their parent clubs.
Also returning to their parent clubs are loan players Hayden Coulson (Middlesbrough) Jay Gorter (Ajax), Dilan Markanday (Blackburn Rovers) and Patrik Myslovič (MŠK Žilina).
However, manager Robson has confirmed the club are still in “positive discussions” with some of those loan stars about the possibility of returning to Pittodrie.
Aberdeen have made bids to secure Clarkson, Shinnie and Scales on permanent contracts.
Robson said: “We are still having positive discussions with some of the loan players who are departing about the possibility of returning for next season.
“We’ll see how those progress over the next few weeks.”
Conversation