Scotland international Scott McKenna insists the £1.75million cash boost received by Aberdeen is payback for the club’s role in helping him reach the Champions League and English top-flight.
Defender McKenna was transferred from the Dons to then-Championship Nottingham Forest in a £3m deal in September 2020.
Aberdeen have since received an additional £1.75m in add-ons to bump the fee up to £4.75m due to McKenna being so successful.
The Dons landed an additional £1m in 2022 when the centre-back earned promotion to the Premier League after Forest beat Huddersfield Town in the play-off final.
Aberdeen’s bank balance then received a further £750,000 boost when Forest secured their survival in the top-flight at the end of last season.
The Dons had previously rejected a £6.5m transfer deadline day bid for McKenna in summer 2018.
However, the defender says he has no regrets about the Pittodrie board’s decision to make him wait another two years until his big money move to England.
Currently on loan at FC Copenhagen, McKenna is set to face holders Manchester City in the Champions League last-16 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
Manchester City hold a 3-1 advantage over the Danish Superliga club from the first leg – which McKenna started.
McKenna said: “Is is great that me doing well and managing to play games (for Nottingham Forest) has benefitted Aberdeen.
“Aberdeen are a club that put a lot of resources into me in terms of taking me through the academy for 10 years.
“Then, when I went full-time and then into the first team, they put a lot of investment into me.
“It was nice to see them doing well on the back of me having success as well.
“Aberdeen played more than a massive part in where I am today.
“So to see them benefitting in some way is great.”
No regrets about delayed move south for McKenna
Aston Villa, then in the Championship, tested Aberdeen’s resolve by launching a late £6.5m bid on the final day of the 2018 summer window.
Aberdeen knocked that back.
The following season Villa were promoted to the top-flight and have remained there ever since.
In summer 2019, the Dons rejected a domestic record £5m bid from Celtic for McKenna.
That summer, Forest, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday also had bids knocked back as none met Aberdeen’s valuation of the defender.
That prompted McKenna to put in a transfer request which was rejected.
McKenna eventually made his switch to England one year later when transferring to Forest.
He has no regrets about how things played out.
Asked if he feels he should have moved earlier, he said: “Maybe, but there’s no point thinking about that.
“I had a great time at Aberdeen and since I left things have worked out well.
“I might not be in the position I am now if I had left any earlier.
“Things always happen for a reason, and I stayed at Aberdeen for an extra couple of seasons then got the chance to go to Nottingham Forrest.
“Things worked out well there.
“So I have absolutely no complaints.”
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