Influential midfielder Graeme Shinnie is set to sign a three-year contract to seal his permanent return to Pittodrie.
Shinnie has travelled to the Granite City to finalise his move to home city club Aberdeen having negotiated his exit from League One Wigan Athletic.
Aberdeen boss Barry Robson is set to make the Scotland international his permanent captain.
Robson handed the skipper’s armband to Shinnie when he took over the managerial role in late January, despite the midfielder only being on loan from Wigan.
Shinnie was key to Aberdeen’s resurgence under Robson to secure a third-placed Premiership finish and European group stage qualification.
Now the 31-year-old is set to lead the Dons’ charge for success on the European and domestic fronts in the upcoming season.
We look at five memorable games by Shinnie for Aberdeen to underline the importance of his signing.
Shinnie scores as Ibrox drought ends
Rangers 1 Aberdeen 2 (Scottish Premiership, Wednesday May 17, 2017)
A superb early goal from Shinnie was the catalyst for ending a 26-year win drought at Ibrox.
The midfielder fought to win possession from Josh Windass with the ball bouncing to Andy Considine in the ninth minute.
Defender Considine sparked an attack with a pass to Niall McGinn.
Attacker McGinn then found Shinnie who burst upfield towards goal.
With James Tavernier desperately trying to close him down Shinnie fired a low 15-yard left-footed drive beyond keeper Wes Foderingham to finish the move he started.
Ryan Christie headed Aberdeen into a two goal lead in the 51st minute.
Substitute Martyn Waghorn replied for Rangers before the Dons had Jayden Stockley sent off in injury time for a second booking.
It was Aberdeen’s first win at Ibrox since 1991.
The Dons had all but secured a runners-up spot finish in the Premiership prior to kick-off.
However the win confirmed Aberdeen would finish second to Premiership winners Celtic for the third season running.
Handed the captaincy for cup final
Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1 (Scottish Cup final, Saturday May 27, 2017)
A disappointing outcome at Hampden but the game is significant as it was the first time Shinnie led the Dons out after being confirmed as new captain.
Dons manager Derek McInnes had stripped the captain’s armband from Rangers-bound Ryan Jack in the build up to the final.
He turned to Shinnie to skipper Aberdeen in the Hampden final against Celtic.
The Dons began the final with a bang as Jonny Hayes fired in a superbly controlled volley in the ninth minute.
Celtic were level within two minutes as Stuart Armstrong was given too much time to fire home from the edge of the penalty area.
Aberdeen’s bid to win the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1990 was dashed by injury-time heartache.
Tom Rogic fired low past keeper Joe Lewis in time added on as Celtic completed the domestic treble.
Aberdeen finished runners-up to Celtic in the Premiership, League Cup and the Scottish Cup that season.
European screamer against Limassol
Aberdeen 2 Apollon Limassol 1 (Europa League third qualifying round, first leg. Thursday, July 27 2017)
Big players deliver in big games with big goals… step up Shinnie.
Aberdeen were being held 1-1 at Pittodrie by the Cypriot side until the Dons skipper netted a sensational 25-yard thunderbolt.
Shinnie’s memorable long range strike sent Pittodrie into raptures and gave the Dons the upper-hand going into the return leg.
Aberdeen had surged into an early lead when Ryan Christie scored with a header after just four minutes.
Apollon Limassol then netted through Ribeiro Santana in the 59th minute.
Esteban Sachetti was dismissed soon after for the Cypriots.
In the 78th minute Shinnie received a lay-off from Greg Stewart, took a touch then fired an unstoppable left-footed drive beyond the keeper.
Aberdeen would lose the return leg 2-0 in Cyprus to exit the Europa League 3-2 on aggregate.
Deadly double sinks Saints in Perth
St Johnstone 0 Aberdeen 2 (Scottish Premiership, Saturday February 23, 2019)
Shinnie netted a double as Aberdeen equalled a club-record seven straight away wins.
The win also moved the Reds to within just two points of second placed Rangers.
Aberdeen needed three points to keep the pressure on the Ibrox club and Shinnie led by example to get the win.
He opened the scoring in the 16th minute when receiving a pass from Dom Ball.
Shinnie turned sharply to shrug off the attention of Sean Goss and shifted the ball to his right foot before drilling a low 20 yard drive into the far corner.
If Shinnie’s first goal was a cracker his second was even better.
The Reds’ skipper picked up possession deep in his own half then drove upfield at pace in the 75th minute.
Shinnie then fired a 25-yard left-footed strike into the far corner.
Double secures third placed finish
Aberdeen 3 St Mirren 0 (Scottish Premiership, Wednesday May 24, 2023)
Influential skipper Shinnie returned to action having served a controversial four match ban.
The Dons appealed referee Euan Anderson’s decision to send off Shinnie for a challenge on Ross County’s Jack Baldwin during a 1-0 win in Dingwall.
The SFA’s independent appeals panel dismissed the appeal and added an additional match on to what would have been a three-game ban after the panel deemed the appeal to be “frivolous.”
Aberdeen’s request to have Shinnie’s four-game ban reviewed by a new panel was dismissed by the Scottish FA.
On his return Shinnie underlined his importance to the team by netting a brace in a win that secured a third-placed finish for Aberdeen.
Midfielder Leighton Clarkson, who has since signed a four-year deal at Pittodrie from Liverpool, curled in a superb free-kick in the 14th minute.
St Mirren were then reduced to 10 men when Thierry Small was red carded for a reckless challenge on Bojan Miovski.
St Mirren keeper Trevor Carson pushed a cross into the path of the onrushing Shinnie in the 43rd minute who headed home.
In the 49th minute Duk broke down the right and fed Ylber Ramadani who then picked out Shinnie in space near the penalty spot.
Shinnie took a touch before firing beyond keeper Carson.