Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin looks set to be confirmed as the next permanent Aberdeen manager, starting this summer.
Reports in Sweden revealed Thelin’s last game as Elfsborg boss is expected to be against IFK Goteborg on June 1.
The Dons have been looking for a successor to axed boss Barry Robson since his sacking more than two months ago, and Pittodrie sources confirmed they have been making strong progress and are close to getting a deal for Thelin officially signed off.
It is understood Thelin will bring assistants Emir Bajrami and Christer Persson with him to the Granite City, with current Dons interim boss Peter Leven – a first-team coach under Robson – expected to remain at the club to work under the new manager, having won two of his last three matches in temporary charge.
As things stand, Leven is set to lead the team for the rest of the season.
Though Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Livingston condemned the Reds to play out their remaining Premiership matches, after Saturday’s home game with Dundee, in the bottom six, Leven will take Aberdeen to Hampden next weekend for the Scottish Cup semi-final with Celtic.
Aberdeen’s push to land target Thelin, 46, took two major leaps forward on Wednesday.
Thelin was interviewed by the Reds last year prior to Robson’s appointment, but securing him now the dugout vacancy has reopened has been delayed due to his reluctance to leave last term’s Allsvenskan runners-up Elfsborg in the lurch right at the start of their new season – which is why any move looked conditional on a summer switch at the earliest.
On Wednesday, reports in Sweden claimed Boras-based Elfsborg were lining up a replacement coaching team.
Boras Tidning – Elfsborg’s local paper – reported Thelin had made clear to Elfsborg he was keen on the Dons job, but wanted them to have replacements ready before leaving.
The report said Elfsborg are “working on an agreement” to bring in a new coaching team of ex-Sweden and Elfsborg, PSV and Palermo midfielder Oscar Hiljemark, 31, who is currently head coach of Aalborg in Denmark, and former Elfsborg, Copenhagen and Sweden coach, and current Swedish FA technical director, Peter Wettergren, 56.
According to Boras Tidning, when asked about Thelin’s exit and potential replacements, Elfsborg technical director Stefan Andreasson was tight-lipped, saying: “I have no comments on that. Jimmy is our coach and the day he leaves we will have clear ideas on how to move forward, but I want to point out that we are not there today.
“We are just at the beginning of our season and Jimmy is leading the team.”
He added: “There has been a lot of speculation about Jimmy’s future and it will continue to do so.
“It is a sign that Elfsborg is doing something good when players and coaches are attractive internationally.”
Conversation