Striker Bojan Miovski has delivered Aberdeen a massive pre-season boost by confirming he is set to return to full-training next week.
Goal hero Miovski is well on course in his bid to be fit for the Premiership opener at Livingston on August 5.
Miovski has been sidelined since being stretchered off with an ankle injury following a horror tackle just 15 minutes into the 3-0 defeat of St Mirren on May 24.
The striker revealed he was left in a state of shock by the injury and suffered sleepless nights as he sweated on the outcome of scans on his ankle.
The 24-year-old is now back running with the Dons at their pre-season training camp in Portugal.
And the North Macedonian international confirmed he aims to ramp up his rehabilitation by returning to full-training with his team-mates next week.
He told RedTV: “Now I am starting on the pitch with the ball and hope next week I will start with the team as well.
“It (rehabilitation) is going really well and I didn’t think I would be so lucky.
“The first impression was not good, but after the scan and the MRI it is good news.
“It is unbelievable (to be back running).
“I miss the ball and miss the players so am looking forward to training with them again.”
Shock at injury and sleepless nights
St Mirren’s Thierry Small was shown a straight red for the challenge which forced Miovski to be stretchered off at Pittodrie.
It was the victory which secured a third-placed Premiership finish for the Dons.
Miovski says he was in “shock” after the challenge and feared the worst.
He then suffered sleepless nights as he waited on results of scans on the injured ankle.
Scans subsequently confirmed the striker suffered ligament damage.
Miovski says the severity of the injury was not as bad as he initially anticipated.
He said: “I was in shock in that moment. I just thought the worst because I didn’t feel good.
“I didn’t sleep for two to three days as I awaited the results.
“After that there was relief when they told me it will not be so long before I would come back, two months maximum.
“After one month I start on the pitch so that is good news.”
Missing Euro 2024 qualifiers
The ankle injury ruled Miovski out of North Macedonia’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against England and Ukraine last month.
North Macedonia lost 3-2 at home to Ukraine, before suffering a heavy 7-0 loss to England at Old Trafford, Manchester.
He said: “It is always an honour to play for the national team and of course I wanted to play in those games.
“I feel proud when I represent my country.
“It was hard but the injury came in the best possible moment, at the end of the season, so I just missed the international games.
“I am here, back on the pitch now and feel great.”
Miovski aims to better 18-goal return
Miovksi signed for Aberdeen in a £535,000 transfer from Hungarian club MTK Budapest last summer.
He netted 18 goals in all competitions in his debut season with the Dons.
With Aberdeen set to play in the European group stages in the upcoming campaign, he has vowed to better that return.
He said: “It will be my first season playing in Europe and a new challenge for me.
“It is always good when you play against strong teams in different leagues.
“I am looking forward to these games and I hope we make the fans happy.
“I scored 18 goals last season and of course I want to score more goals in the upcoming season.
“And I want to represent the club in a good way in Europe.”
Explaining expectations to Sokler
Miovski has been sharing a room at the Portugal training camp with new signing and fellow striker Ester Sokler.
Aberdeen secured Sokler in a £300,000 transfer from Slovenian top-flight club NK Radomlje.
Former Slovenian U21 international Sokler penned a three-year contract with the Dons.
Miovski has given Sokler the lowdown on the expectations that come with playing for Aberdeen.
He said: “Ester is a very good guy and for the first three or four days we spoke only English.
“Then we came to Portugal and he started to speak in my language – it is similar.
“We speak English and we speak the same language.
“Now we know each other better because we speak the same language and are in the same room together.
“I told him what he can expect now he is here.
“What he can expect from the fans on the pitch, how the league is.
“I help him a lot with these things.”