Richard Gordon: Kusini Yengi has the potential to be a talisman for Aberdeen but Dons need more attacking options
It is still over a month until the Dons kick-off their 2025-26 campaign, but the next few weeks are going to be vitally important, and give us a few clues as to what lies ahead.
The club announced a list of pre-season fixtures, some of which will feature a Dons XI, others more likely to offer a better indication of Jimmy Thelin's preferred line-up.
The first of those will be at Balmoral Stadium on July 12 against Cove Rangers, and it will be interesting to see if more new faces have arrived by then.
So far, Jimmy has brought in left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi and three Aussies, goalkeeper Nick Suman, winger Nicolas Milanovic and striker Kusini Yengi. Of that quartet, it is Yengi who will be of most interest.
Last season, Kevin Nisbet was the only one who looked capable of scoring on a regular basis, and even then, it took him until the turn of the year before he really hit form. Kevin finished on 14 goals, the only player to make it into double figures.
Given what we have seen so far of the other strikers at Thelin's disposal, there has been nothing to suggest any will fill the void. That means the spotlight will fall on the former Portsmouth hitman.
He was by no means prolific at Fratton Park, and did not net a single goal for the club last season, but his previous campaign was more impressive, and he has a highly credible record at international level, notching six for Australia in his eleven appearances to date.
He clearly has something; it will be up to Jimmy and his coaching staff to coax that out of the striker.
But he will need back-up, and I have to imagine it is an area the club is still looking to strengthen significantly.
As well as doing so, they have to be looking at moving a few players on, and there are some in the squad who clearly look surplus to requirements.
With the additional demands of a European campaign ahead, in whichever of the leagues the Dons find themselves, they are going to require not only a bigger pool, but one which offers strength in depth when it comes to quality.
That will hopefully mean more game time for the club's most promising youngsters. Jack Milne proved in the Scottish Cup final he has the required attributes, Fletcher Boyd has obvious potential, and Alfie Bavidge caught the eye while out on loan at Caley Thistle, earning a place in the PFA Scotland League One team of the year.
A trio of players – Adam Emslie, Findlay Marshall and Dylan Lobban – played more than 100 between them for Cove last time round, and I saw them develop significantly over the course of the campaign.
Not all will get a chance, but it would be good to see at least some of them feature more regularly during 2025-26, giving the squad more of a local identity.
The next month is likely to be a busy one on the training ground, and on and off the pitch, and by the end of it I would hope the team is ready for what seems certain to be a challenging and demanding season.
The excitement for the new campaign ramped-up last Friday with the announcement of the Premiership fixture list.
Disappointingly, the first weekend will see one solitary Saturday 3pm kick-off – Kilmarnock v Livingston – with a trio of games on the Sunday.
Because of the demands of the television companies, and Thursday night European games, Sundays often now feature more of the bigger games, and that will again be the case.
It will certainly be something the Dons are going to have to adapt to if they are to have a successful season.
Getting off the blocks positively should help – although that did not exactly work out last time – but Aberdeen have been handed a tough start with Celtic at home on day two, either side of trips to Tynecastle and Tannadice.
It was no surprise that Sky chose the Hearts game for the Monday evening, and the meeting with Derek McInnes will be some appetiser for the top-flight campaign.
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Press and Journal
4 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Richard Gordon: Kusini Yengi has the potential to be a talisman for Aberdeen but Dons need more attacking options
It is still over a month until the Dons kick-off their 2025-26 campaign, but the next few weeks are going to be vitally important, and give us a few clues as to what lies ahead. The club announced a list of pre-season fixtures, some of which will feature a Dons XI, others more likely to offer a better indication of Jimmy Thelin's preferred line-up. The first of those will be at Balmoral Stadium on July 12 against Cove Rangers, and it will be interesting to see if more new faces have arrived by then. So far, Jimmy has brought in left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi and three Aussies, goalkeeper Nick Suman, winger Nicolas Milanovic and striker Kusini Yengi. Of that quartet, it is Yengi who will be of most interest. Last season, Kevin Nisbet was the only one who looked capable of scoring on a regular basis, and even then, it took him until the turn of the year before he really hit form. Kevin finished on 14 goals, the only player to make it into double figures. Given what we have seen so far of the other strikers at Thelin's disposal, there has been nothing to suggest any will fill the void. That means the spotlight will fall on the former Portsmouth hitman. He was by no means prolific at Fratton Park, and did not net a single goal for the club last season, but his previous campaign was more impressive, and he has a highly credible record at international level, notching six for Australia in his eleven appearances to date. He clearly has something; it will be up to Jimmy and his coaching staff to coax that out of the striker. But he will need back-up, and I have to imagine it is an area the club is still looking to strengthen significantly. As well as doing so, they have to be looking at moving a few players on, and there are some in the squad who clearly look surplus to requirements. With the additional demands of a European campaign ahead, in whichever of the leagues the Dons find themselves, they are going to require not only a bigger pool, but one which offers strength in depth when it comes to quality. That will hopefully mean more game time for the club's most promising youngsters. Jack Milne proved in the Scottish Cup final he has the required attributes, Fletcher Boyd has obvious potential, and Alfie Bavidge caught the eye while out on loan at Caley Thistle, earning a place in the PFA Scotland League One team of the year. A trio of players – Adam Emslie, Findlay Marshall and Dylan Lobban – played more than 100 between them for Cove last time round, and I saw them develop significantly over the course of the campaign. Not all will get a chance, but it would be good to see at least some of them feature more regularly during 2025-26, giving the squad more of a local identity. The next month is likely to be a busy one on the training ground, and on and off the pitch, and by the end of it I would hope the team is ready for what seems certain to be a challenging and demanding season. The excitement for the new campaign ramped-up last Friday with the announcement of the Premiership fixture list. Disappointingly, the first weekend will see one solitary Saturday 3pm kick-off – Kilmarnock v Livingston – with a trio of games on the Sunday. Because of the demands of the television companies, and Thursday night European games, Sundays often now feature more of the bigger games, and that will again be the case. It will certainly be something the Dons are going to have to adapt to if they are to have a successful season. Getting off the blocks positively should help – although that did not exactly work out last time – but Aberdeen have been handed a tough start with Celtic at home on day two, either side of trips to Tynecastle and Tannadice. It was no surprise that Sky chose the Hearts game for the Monday evening, and the meeting with Derek McInnes will be some appetiser for the top-flight campaign.
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Celtic transfer latest including in-depth look at Benji Nygren and why he won't be the last attacking signing Hoops make
CELTIC have now signed three players in the summer transfer window. And you can bet Brendan Rodgers won't let it stop there. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 5 Benjamin Nygren will wear number eight at Celtic Credit: CELTIC FC Today the Premiership champions unveiled their latest addition, attacking midfielder Benji Nygren. He joins the returning Kieran Tierney and Ross Doohan as arrivals at Parkhead and SunSport looks at what may still be to come from the club as the window continues. We also analyse how Nygren will fit into the Hoops' line-up with his versatility giving Rodgers food for thought. But Nicolas Kuhn could be on his way OUT and there are questions over fringe players like Johnny Kenny, and defensive rock Cameron Carter-Vickers. BENJAMIN NYGREN I think it's a great piece of business. He's a player who has clearly done a lot in his career so far, he's broken into the Sweden squad, recently scored goals for Sweden, he was really good in Denmark last year with 16 goals and can play as an attacking midfielder, number 10, number 8 or off a wing, even play up front as well. Reading Brendan Rodgers' quotes on him, he felt he was a quality player and I think that's what Celtic are getting in Benjamin Nygren, and for an absolute steal at the price. The big thing for me is he's a guy who I would look at and think he'll immediately come in and improve Celtic, this is no project, this is no squad player, this is a guy who will come in and play for Celtic and I think Celtic have pulled off a real transfer coup by getting him. He was very open in that he was ready to leave Denmark and move and he spoke about wanting to play under big pressure, wanting to compete for trophies, wanting to play in the Champions League, wanting to play in front of big crowds in a big stadium. Celtic, in that sense, tick every box. The diggers move in as Celtic Park pitch is dug up They still have this Champions League play-off to try and get through but I can imagine Celtic sells itself to an extent. For someone like him, who maybe wasn't going to get a top four, top five Bundesliga club, he's probably in that stage in his career where he wants to make a next step and just experience a bit more and gain better experience especially at European level. Brendan Rodgers is a manager who can develop players, who can help them progress and grow and I think it's a perfect fit for everybody. I wonder whether Celtic will play him as more of an attacking midfielder, maybe a Matt O'Reilly type replacement, that kind of idea. He can clearly score goals, I think what he's also got about him is a bit of personality, he was captain of Nordsjaelland last year, I think that will help. ROSS DOOHAN Ross Doohan comes in and what you're getting a guy who's just made his Scotland debut, he's knows the club, a really, really good addition to the goalkeeping area. You've got Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo and now Ross Doohan, I think that made perfect sense. NICOLAS KUHN We had the story about RB Leipzig, it then came out that Red Bull obviously want to take him back to Germany, in Italy it's emerged that Como, Cesc Fabregas' side are also very keen to bring him over to Serie A. Look he's a player who had a brilliant probably first six, seven months of the season last year, he did tail off, that's undeniable, however what a talented player. 5 Could Nicolas Kuhn leave Celtic for £15million this summer? Credit: Willie Vass When we talk about Celtic's transfer model, this is a signing for about £3million that they could potentially make five, six times their money on him if he was to go this summer. However it has to be on Celtic's terms. It would probably be an attractive proposition for him to go back to Leipzig where it all kind of started for him over in Germany and might feel that that's a better chance for him to work his way into the German national squad which is one of his career ambitions, especially ahead of the World Cup next year. But Celtic have got a long term deal, the terms have to be right if they are going to sell and it has to be right for everybody. Now if Nicolas Kuhn does want to go and makes it clear to Brendan Rodgers he wants to go, I don't think Brendan Rodgers will stand in his way, you saw that with Kyogo in January. If Como are now in for him, that's maybe a win-win for Celtic because you always want more interest in players in terms of the transfer phase, so we'll see how that one progresses over the next few weeks. My gut feeling is come the end of the transfer window Nicolas Kuhn won't be a Celtic player, but where he'll end up? I would probably say Leipzig are favourites right now, but we'll just see how it pans out. JOHNNY KENNY OUT, SHIN YAMADA IN? I suppose based on his form this season you would maybe scratch your head and think why would you be interested? But you need to look back to last season, his goal return last season which was outstanding in the J League, 19 goals. I think he is also one that, don't be fooled by his lack of experience at 25, it's the Japanese system you go through university, if you look at the profile of him, he is pretty quick, strong, stocky, seems very suited to European football, very suited to Scottish football and I think it's also quite interesting in that the fee wouldn't be huge. 5 Celtic got Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda and even Kyogo was a wee bit more at about £4million but all of them were still good value. I know Celtic have been scouting Japan and they are looking at Hayato Inamura as well from Nigata, a central defender, but I think he would certainly be one with a night in the future if that happens. In terms of Yamada, to me he is a guy who could suit Scottish football and I can understand why. But it's not just Celtic, there are European clubs looking at him because I think he is a player who seems ready for a move to Europe and I think he is a guy who for a relatively low fee could certainly do a job. With this in mind, I do wonder about Johnny Kenny. I know there has been interest and Celtic need to probably decide what they are going to do with him. Is it a loan, do you take any permanent offer that comes in for him? MICHEL-ANGE BALIKWISHA AND SONDRE ORJASAETER Balikwisha is certainly one that's been watched and I think he's only got a year left in his deal, he's had a lot of injury problems, he's a player that Celtic have liked for a while. I wonder whether the fee that Antwerp are looking for just now, whether it's Celtic or other interested parties, will start to go down towards the end of the window. I think they're asking for, according to colleagues in Belgium, 5 million euros and that's maybe a bit steep given his contract situation and his injury record. 5 Sondre Orjasaeter in action for Norway Under-21s Credit: AFP So I will keep watching that and with Orjasaeter, he's also been linked with PSV and he's clearly a player of potential, of quality, however I think you would maybe look at that one and have to ask what the interest actually is, and what else is going on, as Celtic have reportedly been looking at him in other windows but nothing has happened. I just wonder how that will pan out over the course of the next couple of months, especially if there's major interest from PSV at a certain level. CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS He's so important and I actually think what will help Cameron Carter-Vickers get into this season is he didn't have to go away with America, he was able to get a proper rest after the Scottish Cup final and I think with a strong pre-season, injury free, that will do him the world of good. I expect another strong season from Cameron Carter-Vickers, I don't expect him to be on the sale agenda, I think he'll be at Celtic for the foreseeable future. He's the number one central defender there, he's such an important player for Brendan Rodgers and the club. It's just a case of who partners him. 5 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Celtic should fear Hearts more than Rangers with Tony Bloom on board
Chairperson Ann Budge expressed hope the gap between her home town heroes and the two biggest clubs in the country could be reduced if a smart strategy was put in place and some shrewd signings made after Bidco 1874 had assumed control in 2014 and the calamitous reign of Vladimir Romanov finally brought to end. A few years later, Stuart Wallace, the then chairman of the Foundation of Hearts fan ownership group, echoed her sentiments. 'We split the Old Firm in 1998 and that's the next step,' he said. 'Can we split them again? There is a next level and the job of the foundation is to help us find it.' Alas, since Wallace's bold pronouncement the Gorgie outfit have finished fifth, sixth, sixth, twelfth, third, fourth, third and seventh in the top flight. Several semi-finals and finals have been reached, but no major silverware has been lifted. Realising their vast potential, never mind punching above their weight, has often proved problematic for a variety of reasons. Read more: Poor recruitment, bad managerial appointments, the Covid-19 pandemic and draining European campaigns have all impacted on their domestic efforts. An extraordinarily hard-to-please fanbase has not exactly been slow to voice its displeasure when standards on the park have fallen short of what has been expected either. So it was maybe no great surprise when seasoned observers of the game in this country were unperturbed when Tony Bloom pledged to try and 'disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football which has been in place for far too long' when his £9.86m investment in Hearts was completed earlier this week. They have heard it all before and such fighting talk has never amounted to very much. But there are reasons why things may be different this time around with Bloom, the professional gambler, poker player and entrepreneur who has received a 29 per cent stake in non-voting shares in the Tynecastle club in return for his welcome cash injection, involved. He has, to borrow a phrase made infamous by former manager Craig Levein following an Edinburgh derby win over Hibernian at Tynecastle in 2018, upset the 'natural order' before elsewhere on more than one occasion. It is 65 years now since Hearts lifted the Scottish title for the fourth time in their history. It is four decades since a club other than Celtic or Rangers were crowned champions. But back in May the Royal Union Saint-Gilloise side which the Englishman had revitalised after becoming their majority shareholder in 2018 won the Pro League in Belgium for the first time in no fewer than 90 years. (Image: Steven Paston) RUSG, as they are known for short, have a smaller transfer budget, player wage bill and average home attendance than those of Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Standard Liege, or The Big Three. Genk, Gent and Royal Antwerp should also by rights be finishing above them given their economic advantages. But the data-led approach to player recruitment that Bloom instigated when he first got involved has transformed the unfashionable Brussels club into the dominant force in their homeland as well as formidable rivals in European competition. The London-based betting consultancy Starlizard has provided the gen which has underpinned their success. An army of analysts, statisticians and researchers supply information on every facet of the game in an attempt to gain a competitive edge. The decibel levels of the crowd when a particular player is on the ball is even considered when a potential transfer is being weighed up. Bloom reduced his stake when both they and Brighton, where he is majority shareholder and chairman, both qualified for the Europa League two years ago in order to avoid breaching strict UEFA multi-club ownership rules. He has, however, very much been involved in their inexplicable and unexpected rise. The billionaire has, too, worked wonders at his home town team by investing heavily in their infrastructure, fostering a positive environment for staff to work in and prioritising the development of young players. Kieran Maguire, host of the Price of Football podcast and a Seagulls season ticket holder, this week described him as the smartest man he has ever met. Read more: Jamestown Analytics, a company that is closely linked to Starlizard, have been working with Hearts for some time now and it has by no means revived their ailing fortunes. Quite the opposite, in fact, has been the case. They were instrumental in the ill-advised appointment of Neil Critchley as manager. However, it took three years for RUSG to win promotion back to the top flight on his watch, four years to qualify for Europe and seven years to win the title. Progress is never made overnight, a long-term strategic approach which will yield results in due course is always taken. Strong foundations are laid, quick fixes are avoided. Scepticism has been expressed about how Critchley's replacement Derek McInnes will cope with Bloom's way of working since the former St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock man was brought in back in May. Such cynicism does one of the sharpest, most progressive and experienced coaches in the Scottish game a gross disservice. Can Hearts challenge defending champions Celtic and Rangers for the Premiership in the 2025/26 campaign? Probably not. Can they do so in the future? It would be a major surprise if they were able to end the Old Firm duopoly. But the Ibrox and Parkhead hierarchies should look out for The Lizard, as he is known on the professional poker circuit. Only a fool would bet against him achieving his ambitious objective.
