Queen's Park have rejected a five-figure offer from French Ligue 2 club Amiens for 24-year-old striker Josh Fowler, who has also attracted interest from Aberdeen, St Mirren and an Irish club. (Daily Record), external
Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Jonathan Sutherland
BBC Sportscene presenter
Image source, SNSDougie Imrie is hopeful of having Lewis Vaughan available at Pittodrie
Dougie Imrie hopes his Raith Rovers side can benefit from the pressure on Aberdeen in Sunday's Scottish Cup tie, which is live on BBC One Scotland and iPlayer.
"The pressure is all on Aberdeen," said Imrie.
"They just got rid of Jimmy [Thelin] a couple of weeks ago, Peter [Leven has] taken over in interim charge and they have not won in a long period either.
"We need to use every advantage to help us that we can.
"The first quarter of the game, it's really, really important that we don't lose a goal and allow Aberdeen and their support to get their tails up."
Imrie is also hopeful striker Lewis Vaughan could be fit in time for the trip to Pittodrie.
"Any time you came up against Raith Rovers he was a player you pinpointed could be a danger," added Imrie.
"He's a terrific player at this level. Top player, a lot of movement, very good at the top end of the pitch. Once we get him back he is going to add massive value to us."
Image source, SNSAberdeen have sold striker Ester Sokler to top-flight Serbian club FK Radnicki 1923 for an undisclosed fee.
The 26-year-old's form on a season-long loan - six goals in 12 outings - has prompted Radnicki to exercise their option to buy the Slovenian.
Sokler, who was due to be out of contract at Pittodrie this summer, joined the Dons in summer 2023 from NK Radomlje in his homeland and netted 12 times in 72 appearances.
"Everyone at Aberdeen thanks Ester for his contribution and wishes him all the very best for the future," said the club.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSCaptain Graeme Shinnie admits the underperforming Aberdeen squad deserve flak from supporters but believes they have enough character to recapture their form.
The holders head into Sunday's Scottish Cup fourth-round tie against Championship Raith Rovers off the back of a really poor run of results.
The Dons - eighth in the Premiership - are without a win in six league games, losing five and failing to score in their past four.
With sacked manager Jimmy Thelin paying the ultimate price for a disappointing season, a lot of fans are directing their ire towards the players.
"Rightly so," Shinnie said.
"We carry as much burden as the manager and it hasn't been good enough.
"It has in spells. I think there was a 10-game period where we might have collected the most points in the league but a league is a full season not just 10 games.
"We are now four games without a goal, these things aren't acceptable at this club and we carry that responsibility.
"When you do well you get praise and when you don't do well you get criticism and you have to be strong enough to accept that. It is our responsibility and it is up to us to change it.
"Football is all about character, it is about bringing your character on to the pitch, that is where it matters.
"In periods like this it is big characters that can get you out of it so it is easy sitting here and talking about it. Actions speak louder than words so come the game that is when you have to do your talking."
Aberdeen have enquired about taking on loan Rangers midfielder Lyall Cameron, who chose Ibrox instead of Pittodrie when leaving Dundee in the summer, but it is not yet clear whether an option-to-buy agreement is possible for the 23-year-old. (Press & Journal), external
Rangers are looking for Lyall Cameron to get more regular game time after entering talks with Aberdeen over a loan deal for the midfielder. (Sky Sports), external
Aberdeen striker Kusini Yengi is in talks with J-League club Cerezo Osaka about a loan deal for the rest of the season. (Daily Record), external
Kusini Yengi is travelling to Japan as finer details are being resolved for the 27-year-old Aberdeen striker's move to Cerezo Osaka on loan. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Aberdeen striker Peter Ambrose, the 23-year-old signed from Ujpest in 2024, has been given permission to travel back to Hungary and finalise a loan to DVTK. (Daily Record), external
Former Manchester City midfielder Ante Palaversa has been on the periphery of the Aberdeen squad and the 25-year-old is expected to leave in the winter window. (Press & Journal), external
Radnicki 1923 are in talks to sign Aberdeen striker Ester Sokler on a permanent deal, with the 26-year-old currently on loan to the Serbian club until the end of the season. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven thinks Leighton Clarkson can still play a key role this season despite the 24-year-old midfielder being linked with a move away from Pittodrie. (Press & Journal), external
Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to beat a host of Premier League rivals to the signing of 17-year-old Aberdeen midfielder Cooper Masson, who is on loan to Kelty Hearts, and 15-year-old Dundee United striker Kai Hutchison. (TeamTalk), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, Kilmarnock FCNeil McCann has made his first Kilmarnock signing, adding former Aberdeen goalkeeper Kelle Roos on loan from Notts County for the rest of the season.
The 33-year-old Dutchman has made 26 appearances for County since joining the English League Two club last summer.
Roos had a two-year spell at Aberdeen from 2022 and also counts Derby County and Italians Triestina among his former clubs.
He bolsters Kilmarnock's goalkeeping options as Max Stryjek continues his recovery from heart surgery.
The club have confirmed Tobi Oluwayemi has now returned to Celtic following his emergency loan spell. The 22-year-old goalkeeper departs having made 12 appearances.
"Tobi's professionalism, attitude and commitment were evident throughout his spell, and his contribution was greatly appreciated by players, staff, and supporters," said Killie.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSAberdeen interim manager Peter Leven has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Scottish Cup fourth-round visit of Raith Rovers.
Here are the key points:
Leven has had no update on how long he'll remain in interim charge: "I'm getting prepared for the weekend then we'll see what happens."
The club are busy searching for new recruits - "they're trying to get one or two in for the weekend" - and there will also be further exits after Vicente Besuijen left on loan.
On recent supporter criticism Leven says: "We've got to get the fans to shout about something, we've got to give them something back."
Leven says "you've got to win every game, that's the standards here" and knows the Dons "have an opportunity to go on a good run in the cup", adding: "We're the holders so we want to defend it."
Despite Aberdeen's poor form Leven insists the players are "full of confidence" although they "know it will be a tough task" having come up against current Raith boss Dougie Imrie's Morton in the League Cup earlier this season, winning 3-0.
After a "panicked" week due to the snow, Leven's staff have managed to "get our ideas across" and "the tempo in training has been outstanding".
But Leven stresses Raith will be tough to play against, adding "we've got to do the basics first, we've got to match the effort and the fight but also show our quality".
Team news: Everyone is fit for the game.
Image source, SNSVicente Besuijen's Aberdeen career is over after the Dutch forward returned to his homeland to join second-tier side Emmen on loan for the remainder of the season.
The 24-year-old, whose Dons contract expires in the summer, spent the first half of this term on loan at HJK Helsinki and hasn't featured for the Pittodrie side in more than a year.
Besuijen has netted 11 goals in 57 games for Aberdeen since arriving from Den Haag four years ago.
Having spent time on loan at Emmen in 2024, he now returns to the Dutch club, whose technical director Nico Haak said: "With his experience and attacking qualities, we expect him to be a valuable asset again in the second half of the season."
Image source, SNSAs Aberdeen narrow their search for a new manager, Stephen Robinson of St Mirren is being considered, along with German duo Robert Klaus and Markus Gisdol. (Daily Record), external
At least two clubs are keen on Nicolas Milanovic, the 24-year-old winger who Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven admits is suffering from a lack of confidence after his £400,000 summer switch from Western Sydney Wanderers. (Press & Journal - subscription required), external
Dutch club FC Emmen have opened talks with Aberdeen in a bid to sign winger Vicente Besuijen, who is in the last six months of his contract after a loan in Finland with HJK. (Daily Record), external
Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator
Aberdeen's league season is on the brink of total collapse.
Eighth in the table, they stand 12 points off the final European place after 22 games and face a battle to reach the top six, never mind contemplate continental competition next season given they are almost as close to the play-off position as they are Motherwell now.
Despite millions of pounds being spent on their squad, they lie five points behind newly-promoted Falkirk who, by comparison, still boast several of the players that led the club to the third-tier title not even two years ago.
The Bairns have also beaten the Dons twice this term thus justifying the advantage they have over them. John McGlynn's men have a game in hand as well.
I have covered many Aberdeen v Rangers matches at Pittodrie and Sunday's was as flat a performance as I can remember from the home team against their Glasgow visitors.
Former Ibrox midfielder Derek Ferguson, whose son Lewis relished facing his father's old club in Dons colours, told Sportsound he couldn't believe how "powderpuff" the hosts were.
Vulnerable, timid, managerless, they are in an awful state as they prepare to begin their Scottish Cup title defence with a visit from Championship Raith Rovers. Pittodrie may not be for the faint-hearted on Sunday.
Their second 2-0 reverse against Danny Rohl's side, in the space of five days and in atrocious conditions, laid bare many facets of the state of Aberdeen right now and right at the top of the list is a lack of leadership, which is understandable given they are, yet again, between managers.
Captain Graeme Shinnie admitted afterwards they weren't good enough and that the players need to do more, but a lot of pre and post-match media conferences have featured similar quotes this season.
It was the 10th time in 22 Premiership matches they have fired blanks while more goals from dead-ball situations were conceded at the other end.
Chief executive Alan Burrows spoke pre-match about the hope a shortlist to replace Jimmy Thelin would drawn up this week.
The writing appeared to have been on the wall for the Swede for months so a contingency plan would surely have been on the back-burner should the trigger have to be pulled. As it was.
Thelin's mid-autumn mini renaissance will probably go a long way to ensuring this Aberdeen side does not get dragged into a relegation battle.
But perversely, it may also have delayed his sacking to the worst possible time with a massive transfer window open, no replacement in sight, and a team in freefall.
Image source, SNSDante Polvara wants Aberdeen to restore some pride when they begin their defence of the Scottish Cup against Raith Rovers on Sunday.
The Dons won the competition for the first time in 35 years when they beat Celtic on penalties in May.
However, manager Jimmy Thelin was sacked earlier this month after a season of chronic inconsistency and interim boss Peter Leven has lost successive matches in charge, both 2-0 defeats by Rangers.
Aberdeen have lost six of their past seven outings and are eighth in the Premiership, but Polvara is determined to turn things around, starting this weekend.
"Pete has been great and it is definitely not down to him," the American midfielder said.
"Our few sessions with him have been great and positive so it is disappointing we weren't able to transmit that on to the field on Sunday.
"I would like to think that with a full week we can find a way to get some confidence going into this game.
"We are at home and have to play with our chests out. We can't forget the effort and fight as they will bring plenty of that I'm sure.
"We need to give a performance that people can be proud of, that is a necessity at this point.
"It is a massive game to us to prove that we deserve to be here, to wear this shirt and badge and play for the club.
"There have been times where people have really shown what they can do although it has faded a little bit.
"We have to help one another and put in a serious team performance. I want everyone to have a great performance with a clean sheet and goals. That is not me saying that it is going to be easy as it will be a real fight."
Glen Schreuder
Fan writer
Unorganised and uninspiring.
No, I am not speaking about the club's approach to hiring a new manager and the list of potential candidates, but the dismal sequence of results.
A fourth straight defeat and fourth in a row without scoring for the first time in 15 years has left many deflated.
We were toothless in attack at home to Rangers and for the third straight game conceded from a set-piece.
Not learning and not improving, we continue to look directionless both on and off the pitch.
Our Scottish Cup defence begins this weekend - live on the BBC - and I'm sure the broadcasters and Raith Rovers are viewing this as a potential upset.
For the sake of our season, nothing more than getting through the tie matters.
We then face the league's current bottom two, Livingston and Kilmarnock, and fans are looking at those games as well as the cup tie for a stark improvement.
Aberdeen midfielder Dante Polvara, the 25-year-old who is out of contract this summer, has confirmed talks are ongoing between his agent and the club about a new deal. (Press & Journal), external
Rangers have hit out at the "abhorrent" mocking of the Ibrox Disaster by some Aberdeen supporters during Sunday's match at Pittodrie. (The National), external
PFA chief executive Fraser Wishart has urged the Scottish Professional Football League to adopt the same hard line stance on missile throwing and offensive chanting at matches that they have taken with illegal pyrotechnic use after several Rangers players were targeted in Aberdeen. (The Herald), external
We asked for your thoughts after Aberdeen were beaten 2-0 by Rangers for the second time in a week.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Calum: For a team that's been told they have six months to prove themselves, they don't seem to be willing to put a shift in.
Mike: Club's been mismanaged for years, full of players not fit to wear the shirt. We need a clear out from top to bottom and if that's in the championship then so be it, we are poor everywhere on the pitch.
Mark: It feels like many don't want to be there now and others have wrote the season off entirely. Lutz Pfannenstiel has his work cut out for him in helping to turn this club around. An extremely poor game marred by distasteful behaviour from fans and players.
Campbell: Horrendous performance. No heart, no fight and absolutely nothing to give us any hope. Confidence is shot but that doesn't excuse the lack of effort. Quite a few players really need to look at themselves in the mirror. Recall the youngsters from loan and give them the opportunity to show what they can do.
Ally: Absolutely toothless again. A bunch of show ponies who can't play as a team. Every single team in the league, from top to bottom, knows exactly how to play against us.
Stuart: Truly the worst Aberdeen side I have ever seen assembled. No fight no hunger and no pride. Dave Cormack's ego trip is ripping the club apart. Do the right thing and sell to someone who can take us on the next step forward. Take the chief executive Alan Burrows with you. Useless and toothless leadership.
Euan: Disjointed. Dispirited. Disappointing. There is clearly a disconnect within the group of players. Some did not look interested in the slightest when the first goal was scored from yet another set piece.
Image source, SNSMotherwell midfielder Andy Halliday was surprised not to see a reaction from Aberdeen in Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Rangers.
It was the second straight loss by the same scoreline for the Dons against the Ibrox side, following Tuesday's match in Glasgow.
Peter Leven continues his third spell in interim charge as Aberdeen open the defence of the Scottish Cup at home to Raith Rovers on Sunday.
"I don't think Aberdeen have been a great side this year, but given that Peter Leven's came in, you always talk about this new manager bounce," Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"[He] managed to do that previously when he was in interim charge and given how poor I thought they were during the week at Ibrox, I just assumed there had to be some form of reaction.
"I thought the Aberdeen crowd would demand it, I thought the players would demand it from themselves, but I even thought from the first whistle I didn't feel there was real threat at any point for Aberdeen, real intent, real physicality.
"It was just a game that I thought was really, really comfortable for Rangers without Rangers being great. I don't think they had to go out of third gear."
Watch highlights as Rangers beat Aberdeen for the second time in a week in the Scottish Premiership.
Available to UK users only.
Aberdeen have put together a managerial long list and hope to open talks with candidates soon. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external
Former Aberdeen and Raith Rovers manager Barry Robson has been appointed Cork City boss. (Irish Independent - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSAberdeen interim manager Peter Leven told BBC Scotland: "I thought the first half was OK, but we never really hurt them.
"Second half was not good enough. We kind of fell away a bit.
"We need more bodies in the box in attack and more composure in the final third.
"There are standards at this club and it needs to be better."
Asked what's gone wrong this season, Leven replies: "A bit of everything, (lack of) confidence, fire, hunger.
"There's some talented players in there. It's just trying to get that out of them."
