Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has hailed loan striker Kevin Nisbet as the type of player a team needs to win silverware.
On a season-long loan from Millwall, the Scotland international is the Dons’ leading scorer with 13 goals this season.
That contribution was recognised by his team-mates who named the loan star players’ player of the year at the club’s recent awards ceremony.
Nisbet’s form at Pittodrie also secured a return to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad this season.
Thelin reckons the striker has grown as a leader during his time in the Granite City.
And the Swede says having characters like Nisbet is vital in the bid to bring success to the club.
Nisbet will return to his parent club Millwall in the summer after the Scottish Cup final against Celtic at Hampden on May 24.
Thelin said: “Kevin has grown since he arrived after some hard work and also getting more comfortable with the team.
“He has also grown in terms of leadership and taking responsibility on the pitch.
“You can see that when he’s down around our own box and blocking shots.
“And then he is up and trying to attack again.
“Those are people you want to have in a team.
“I understand why the teammates feel like that (naming Nisbet players’ player of the year). “
Nisbet has scored more than 10 goals in three of his last four seasons playing in the Scottish Premiership.
As well as 10 league goals this season he netted 14 in 2020-21 and 12 in 2022-23 while with Hibs.
Proven Premiership goalscorer
The loan striker is one of only four players to score 10 or more goals in as many as three Scottish Premiership campaigns since 2020-21.
The others are former Celtic attacker Kyogo Furuhashi (four), ex-Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos (three) and Rangers captain James Tavernier (three).
Thelin said: “Kevin creates chances and scores goals, but he’s also competing for the result of the game.
“So that’s important because to build this environment for us, we need characters.
“What is important in the end is to try to win games and titles.
“So you need these kinds of characters.
“That’s what everybody has to see and learn from each other to contribute in the future.”
Thelin has previously indicated he would be keen to retain Nisbet beyond the summer, but finances could work against that.
‘We knew what Kevin could do’
The Dons are not paying all of Nisbet’s wages and it is understood Millwall would look to recoup around £1m from the £2m paid to Hibs for the striker in summer 2023.
Nisbet is contracted to Millwall until summer 2026.
Millwall boss Alex Neil has confirmed Nisbet will be given the chance to fight for a first team slot during pre-season.
Asked if Nisbet is now a more complete player, Thelin said: “I didn’t know him so well from before.
“But he came here after a period of time when he hadn’t played so much, and it can be hard.
“We knew what Kevin could do.
“However, it was important to give him time to get in shape and get into his maximum running and performances.”
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