
Aberdeen ‘set to battle Premiership rivals in transfer race for SPFL side's top scorer'
ABERDEEN have reportedly entered the race for one of Scottish football's hottest properties - but face stiff competition from several clubs.
Jimmy Thelin is aiming to add more quality to his Scottish Cup winning squad this summer and one position he's looking at is a new striker.
2
Jimmy Thelin is keen to add to his squad
Credit: Andrew Barr
2
He could snap up a top player in Scotland
Credit: Willie Vass
Kevin Nisbet is set to return to Millwall following his loan spell, while Oday Dabbagh's future at Pittodrie is currently unclear despite the Dons having an option to sign him permanently from Charleroi.
Aberdeen have yet to trigger a deal for the Palestinian forward as things stand.
Thelin, 47, is assessing his options elsewhere and is expected to complete at least one swoop for another hitman.
And it looks like he's found his next man right here in Scotland.
The Belfast Telegraph claim Aberdeen are readying move for Ross County talisman Ronan Hale.
Hale, 26, is currently with the Northern Ireland squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Denmark and Iceland, but he will have a decision to make on his future when he returns to Dingwall.
The former Cliftonville striker is expected to leave the Staggies after just one year following their relegation to the Championship.
Hale scored two goals against Livingston in the Premiership play-off but he couldn't prevent his side from the drop and has likely played his last game for the club.
It's said Aberdeen will face a battle to sign him as Dundee are also interested, along with a host of English clubs.
EFL League One sides Wigan Athletic, Luton Town and Port Vale have all been reportedly keeping tabs on him as well.
Aberdeen's Scottish Cup-winning heroes greeted by thousands on open top bus parade through the city after beating Celtic
Hale scored 18 goals in all competitions for Ross County during the 2024/25 campaign.
He could make his international bow for Michael O'Neil's side in the coming days after switching allegiances from the Republic of Ireland this year.
The Staggies will command a healthy fee for the 26-year-old after he penned a three-year deal when he arrived at Dingwall last year.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Worcester sign Newcastle full-back Brown
Newcastle Falcons full-back Louis Brown has become the latest player to join Worcester Warriors ahead of the former Premiership club's return to who can also play on the wing, joined Falcons from Coventry on a two-year deal ahead of the 2023-24 his two campaigns with Newcastle, Brown appeared 20 times and scored five made nine of those in the Premiership this term as the Falcons finished bottom of the table, 16 points adrift of Exeter Chiefs."I'm looking forward to being part of a team that gets Worcester back where they belong," Brown said the vison of head coach Matt Everard and the club's "incredible" fan base made moving to Warriors "an easy decision". Brown is the second player to join Worcester this week following the arrival of former England back Billy Twelvetrees, who came out of retirement to take up a player-coach role at back Juan Gonzalez, Leicester Tigers prop Tim Hoyt and Exeter Chiefs prop Billy Keast have also signed up for next club have also brought in Cornish Pirates full-back/wing Will Trewin, Warriors legend Matt Kvesic, former Wales scrum-half Lloyd Williams, Saracens prop Fraser Balmain and Dragons fly-half Will are preparing for next season's new-look Championship as professional rugby returns to Sixways for the first time since the club went into administration in 2022.


Daily Record
36 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Joe Aribo makes transfer decision as Russell Martin holds 'trust' card amid Rangers return clamour
The playmaker endured a tough campaign with Southampton and suffered another Premier League relegation Southampton playmaker Joe Aribo has reportedly told the club he wants to leave this summer. And Russell Martin 's arrival at Rangers has left fans dreaming of a return to the Scottish Premiership for the Nigerian international. Aribo is facing the prospect of playing Championship football next term after the Saints finished rock bottom of the Premier League - leading to his second relegation since leaving Ibrox behind in 2022. The 28-year-old has remained a fan favourite with the Light Blues' faithful having wrote his name in Rangers history by netting in the Europa League Final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. And it appears that a move away from St Mary's is on the cards after struggling for regular game time following Martin's sacking in the midst of a dismal English top flight campaign last term. Following the departure of the now-Gers' boss Martin, Aribo would manage just 10 appearances under Ivan Juric and Simon Rusk - barely making the matchday squad in the later stages of the campaign. The Daily Mail reported following the end of the campaign that the playmaker had made it clear to the club that he "wanted" an exit after dropping out of the top flight with just a year remaining on his contract. And Turkish outlet Fotomac now claim that the player has told his agent to find him a new club with Trabzonspor "asking" about the potential of a deal. And that could alert Martin as he looks to overhaul the squad this summer - who has made no secret of his admiration for Aribo. Speaking during their promotion-winning Championship campaign on midfielder, he said: "He's been a brilliant teammate, an amazing character as you know. He's humble, works hard, smiling. "I've not seen many players or teammates that are as popular as him, even when you're not playing, which is like the biggest credit to him, really." He has also noted how he fits his footballing philosophy perfectly, stating during his time with the Southampton: 'You trust him to go and put a certain level of performance on the pitch and to want the ball, to run for his teammates. "He's a brilliant teammate and I think he's someone that you trust.' A return would test Aribo's career mantra - having previously insisted he likes to take himself out of his "comfort zone". After his move away from Glasgow, he said: "I think for me, what's so important is the timing of everything. "I had some offers down south but I chose to go away from home, come out of my comfort zone - which is so important for your own growth personally. "So for me, life is about little steps to get to your goal and that's why I made the choice to go up there. And then why I came back to Southampton." A move back to Ibrox and a Russell Martin reunion could prove tempting - but could Aribo look to test himself elsewhere first? Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.


Wales Online
36 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as WRU told they have 'right man' for top job and new Wales call-up stirs excitement
Tonight's rugby news as WRU told they have 'right man' for top job and new Wales call-up stirs excitement The latest headlines from Wales and around the world WRU chief executive Abi Tierney with director of rugby and elite performance Dave Reddin (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency ) These are your evening rugby headlines on Thursday, June 5. WRU told they have 'right man' in Reddin England great Joe Worsley is confident Dave Reddin is the right man to drag Welsh rugby out of the doldrums. The Welsh Rugby Union appointed Reddin as their new director of rugby and elite performance in April, and he is tasked with putting a plan in place to turn around the fortunes of a rugby nation which has lost a record 17 Test matches on the bounce at senior men's level and whose professional game is on its backside. Worsley worked with Reddin while playing for England and revealed his role as head of S&C played a pivotal part in Sir Clive Woodward's side winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. "I think performance-wise he's the right man for Wales," Worsley told WalesOnline. "I worked with him for a lot of my career. "I got involved with England when I was 21 and he was already established. He was with me at U20s level and then he got brought quickly into the senior England squad. "He took us away in 1999 to this island near Brisbane where we stayed for a month. We trained professionally for the first time and the changes in peoples' body and athletic ability was staggering. Article continues below "I remember him shouting at me when I was 19 because I wasn't training hard enough. Even now I can see his face. That's when we came back and people realised in English clubs the difference it could make. It kick-started and revolutionised this S&C performance side of things which in 2003 was probably what won us the World Cup. "I remember some Welsh fans being impressed with what we achieved and the Wales team went down that road especially when Warren (Gatland) came in. There was a real emphasis on S&C, performance and physicality backed up by good fitness and strength. Dave was the guy who revolutionised that." Worsley is confident Reddin will drive the standards up in Welsh rugby and insists he is not a man who will shy away from making the big decisions. "What he will do is listen to the right people and take the right advice," said Worsley. "Dave is very headstrong. "He's worked in athletics, he's worked in football and he's worked in so many environments I'm sure he'll be able to replicate in Wales an environment where you are driving people forward. "He'll push people hard and while that may require some harsh words and tough decisions, if anyone is going to do it it's him." Hook 'excited' for Page's impact Former Wales fly-half James Hook says he is excited to see what youngster Macs Page can bring to the international stage after an impressive campaign for the Scarlets. The 20-year-old back, who has long been regarded as one of the next big things in Welsh rugby, featured 20 times for Dwayne Peel's side over the course of the season as they reached the URC play-offs. Now, Page's international aspirations have been realised with interim Wales head coach Matt Sherratt naming him in his squad for this summer's tour of Japan, as one of six uncapped players to make the cut. Reviewing the 2024/25 campaign on the Scrum V podcast, Hook hailed the impact of Page's team-mate Blair Murray, but also sang the youngster's praises as he looked ahead to the Japan tour. "No one [has been] quite as good as Blair Murray," said Hook. "The impact he has had for the Scarlets and internationally, he's been excellent hasn't he. "But I think probably close to him - and he probably hasn't played as much and obviously hasn't played internationally yet, but hopefully will in the summer in Japan - is Macs Page. "Some of his movements, he's one of those guys that you're almost thinking 'get this guy the ball, because he's going to create something', and more often than not he does," he added. "You look at some of his tries this season, that's a highlight reel for some players for their whole careers. So I'm really excited about what he can bring." Region star in line for Springboks debut Scarlets hooker Marnus van der Merwe is in line to win his first cap for South Africa this summer after being included in Rassie Erasmus' 54-strong squad for their upcoming international matches. The 28-year-old was included in a Springboks alignment camp last month after a hugely impressive first season in West Wales saw him included in the URC's team of the year, having helped Peel's side to the play-offs. Erasmus also brought 54 players into that alignment camp and has kept the same numbers in the squad ahead of a busy few months on the international stage, with van der Merwe one of nine uncapped players involved. The Springboks will face the Barbarians later this month, before their summer Tests against Italy and Georgia, the Rugby Championship and the autumn internationals. 'We were very pleased with the two Springbok alignment camps we hosted, and we are excited to have the luxury of announcing a squad with so much depth and talent,' said Erasmus as the squad was confirmed. 'Having an expanded squad will not only afford us the opportunity to have productive training sessions, but it will also bode well for the younger players in the group to learn from the senior players, many of whom are Rugby World Cup champions. 'We take pride in offering talented young players a chance to work first-hand with the coaches and to expose them to standards at international level, and we are excited to see them showcase their skills at the camp.' The hooker's call up comes just weeks after he admitted that winning an international cap was his goal, as he said: 'I think as a child, any South African watching the game, with the Springboks doing well, everyone wants to play for that team, just like people in Wales who grew up watching their team. 'So everyone wants to play for their nation. It's definitely a thing I am going for, but I focus on the next thing which is helping the Scarlets where I can. Then, through that, I hope the Springbok coaches can see what I bring and see that I have the talent to be there. 'My goal is to get into international rugby. Everyone hopes for that. I just go out and play the best I can every single day. Hopefully that's enough.' Wales 'at the start of the journey' Wales Women coach Sean Lynn says his side are "at the start of their journey" as they prepare for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England later this year. Earlier this week, the Swansea-born coach won the Director of Rugby Award at the Premiership Women's Rugby Awards, having led Gloucester-Hartpury to three successive league titles before starting the Wales job days before their Six Nations campaign. However, it was a brutal start to Lynn's new role as Wales finished with the wooden spoon for the second year in a row having not won a single game at the tournament. Even with the World Cup on the horizon, however, Lynn is not panicked by the immediate future and says that there is enough talent in the system to "build a team that everyone can be proud of". After accepting his PWR award, he said: "To get nominated, let alone win, an award like this is obviously a proud moment for myself and my family, but this is always about the players, coaches and staff. 'Without them sharing the same vision buying into the culture, coming together and putting the hard work in, none of what we achieved happens. I know that 'we' all came together to win three league titles. 'It took time, and it wasn't easy but the process and building something was a challenge but that is probably what all of us – players, coaches and staff – are must proud of. 'Being Wales head coach of the women's team is a role I always wanted to do and in so many ways it reminds me of how things started at Gloucester/Hartpury," Lynn added. "It was about building a team culture, creating that togetherness but challenging each other to represent each other and the people who support us. 'Wales is at the start of that journey, we know we have the talent in the pathway, Wales U18s, Wales U20s and in the Celtic Challenge and it's about building a team that everyone can be proud of.' WRU's head of women's rugby, Belinda Moore, said: 'Having known Sean from our respective time at PWR, it is no surprise he has won this award. His 'three-peat' of league titles is a huge achievement in rugby. 'Working alongside Sean is a pleasure and we have already seen his influence with Wales bringing some up and coming talent into the 'family'. The next few years promise to be an exciting time in Welsh women's rugby.' Meanwhile, WRU CEO Abi Tierney added: 'A huge congratulations to Sean and all he achieved across the bridge with Gloucester/Hartpury in building a team that has dominated English rugby but also the culture he built at the club. Article continues below 'This award underlines why we appointed Sean as Wales Women's head coach, and we look forward to providing him with the time and support to build the same culture and environment in Welsh rugby.'