Aberdeen look set to confirm the signing of midfielder Leighton Clarkson from Liverpool later today.
The 21-year-old playmaker had a sparkling campaign on loan at Pittodrie last season, and a permanent deal for the midfielder was one of the Dons’ priorities as Barry Robson rebuilds his squad for the demands of both domestic and European group stage football next season.
Although the Reds have had a broad agreement in place with Liverpool to sign Clarkson – who has one year left on his Anfield deal – for weeks, the player was keen to take his time in deciding his next move, with interest also coming from the English Championship and League One side Reading.
But the lure of Continental action, with the Dons guaranteed a place in next term’s Europa League or Europa Conference League groups, appears to have proved too much for Clarkson to resist.
It is understood Aberdeen chiefs are hopeful his switch to Pittodrie on a permanent basis will be finalised and then announced on Thursday.
Clarkson has arrived in the Granite City after a summer holiday which included visits to both Mykonos, Greece, and Ibiza.
It is still unclear how long Clarkson’s Aberdeen contract will run for, but it is expected to be significant. Or whether the signing will represent a record signing for the Dons – although it is likely to have taken a sizeable outlay to secure him from Premier League giants Liverpool.
What is also unclear is what leverage the terms of Aberdeen’s deal to sell right-back Calvin Ramsay to the Merseyside outfit last summer gave Reds chiefs while negotiating the terms of the agreement to secure Clarkson on a long-term basis.
The Pittodrie club’s previous record signing was the £1 million they paid to sign Paul Bernard from Oldham Athletic in 1995, but this mark could be under threat.
Clarkson’s Dons loan impact makes him top transfer target
Aberdeen fans will be delighted the club have managed to land a talent like Clarkson, who scored six goals and laid on nine assists is his 38 appearances for the Dons during the 2022/23 season on his way to being named the Reds’ Young Player of the Year.
The Clitheroe-raised midfield maestro’s goals last term were generally spectacular strikes and pinpoint free-kicks, while his incisive passing and link-up play with forwards Duk and Bojan Miovski will have supporters licking their lips for the season ahead under Robson.
Clarkson netted a lovely free-kick to open the scoring for Aberdeen in their 3-0 win over St Mirren at Pittodrie in the penultimate game of the Premiership campaign – the victory which secured third place and, ultimately, qualification for a return to Continental competition.
Clarkson previously started a Champions League game for Liverpool in 2020, and will have the chance to experience European action once again when he lines up for Robson’s side in their Europa League play-off round tie, which is set to be played in late August.