Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin insists the success of Tottenham defender Alfie Dorrington could boost the chance of landing future loan stars from the English Premier League.
Centre-back Dorrington was secured on loan from Spurs during the January transfer window until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old has started the last eight games due to the injury absence of £600,000 January signing Kristers Tobers.
Thelin reckons England under-19 cap Dorrington has grown as a player during his loan spell at Pittodrie.
Dorrington will return to Tottenham at the end of the season having signed a long-term contract extension until summer 2029.
Aberdeen have successfully raided the English top flight for loan players in recent years.
Midfielder Leighton Clarkson was initially secured on a season-long loan from Liverpool in summer 2022.
Raiding English top flight for loans
After a superb loan spell, the Dons moved in summer 2023 to sign Clarkson on a permanent four-year-contract.
In 2023-24 the Reds secured Rhys Williams (Liverpool) and Killian Phillips (Crystal Palace) on loan from the English Premier League.
Three loan signings also arrived from the English top flight in 2021-22 – Teddy Jenks (Brighton), Austin Samuels (Wolves) and Matty Longstaff (Newcastle United).
Asked if Dorrington’s success can help Aberdeen with future loans from the English Premier, Thelin said: “Yes.
“I don’t think so much about what other decisions are, but Alfie has been working really well for us.
“He is quite young and hadn’t played many games before the recent part of the season.
“Alfie has adapted and done really well.
“There were some parts at the beginning of the season before he got used to training and the league.
“After that he’s shown a lot of skills although we saw some of those parts before which is why we brought him here.”
Dorrington is highly rated within Tottenham having emerged through the club’s youth system.
The defender was a key component in the Spurs sides that won the under-17 and under-18 Premier League Cup double in 2022/23.
In the following season Dorrington won the Premier League 2 title with Tottenham’s under-21s.
Loanee Dorrington ‘taking big steps’
He made his first team debut for Ange Postecoglou’s side in a 5-0 Premier League win at Southampton in December 2024.
On the day he moved on loan to Pittodrie on loan, Dorrington penned a long-term contract extension with his parent club.
Thelin said: “Alfie has real speed, is good at positioning himself on the pitch and also with how he carries the ball.
“He is contributing further to that and you can see Alfie is really growing as a player.
“He has done really well and is taking big steps.”
Dorrington is one of four loan players secured by Thelin this season across two transfer windows.
The Dons have options to buy on two of those loan, striker Oday Dabbagh (Charleroi) and winger Jeppe Okkels (Preston North End).
On-loan Millwall striker Kevin Nisbet is Aberdeen’s leading scorer this season with 13 goals.
Decisions on players out on loan
Aberdeen also have players out on loan.
Defender Richard Jensen is at Danish club Vejle Boldklub.
Winger Ryan Duncan spent the season at Queen’s Park and played in the Challenge Cup final.
Full-back James McGarry was at Greek side Athens Kallithea but picked up an injury recently.
Centre-back Slobodan Rubezic is on loan at Serbian top flight club Novi Pazar.
Jensen, Rubezic, Duncan and McGarry all have a year left on their contracts.
Thelin said calls on the future of those out on loan will be made with the best interest of the players and the club in mind.
He said: “All these decisions and everything around the players on-loan and their futures, we will sit down and make the best ones for everyone and Aberdeen .
“There are things happening right now but my focus is on the games.
“We have a recruitment department and a director of football (Steven Gunn) and they are working with other things.
“I am involved in some meetings but my focus is on the games because they are so important right now.”
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