ABERDEEN’S frantic summer of recruitment shows no signs of slowing down with Icelandic internationalist Kari Arnason the latest but not final signing.

The 34-year-old was at Pittodrie for a season five years ago and since then has been transformed from a midfielder to a centre back, a position his new team have been crying out for reinforcements in.

Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager, will not stop there. He is expected to make a second bid for Motherwell striker Louis Moult, the much-talked-about Shaun Maloney deal is far from dead, after a contract was agreed while the veteran playmaker has concerns about his fitness, and it would be far from a surprise if another defender was added if one became available.

Greg Tansey, Gary Mackay-Steven, Greg Stewart, Nicky Maynard and Ryan Christie have already been signed. All are first-team players. If McInnes can get a tune out of them then his side would be favourites to finish second once again.

Arnason, capped 60 times, negotiated an early release from Cyprus side AC Omonia. He’s not eligible for Thursday night’s return leg against Siroki Brijeg of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but he hopes his new club will still be in Europe so he can make his debut against Apollon Limassol, who lead Zaria Balti 3-0 from the first leg.

“Hopefully we can get a result [in Bosnia] to keep going in Europe, he said: “I have done about two or three weeks training, mostly running, and although I need a little bit of sharpness it shouldn’t take long.

“When I made the move to Malmo they didn’t need midfielders and brought me in solely as centre-back and that was where I played.

“Now I am mostly centre-back. I played alongside Mark Reynolds and Andy Considine when I was at Aberdeen before so it is good to have familiar faces.”

McInnes is delighted with his transfer activity so far. With the best part of a month to go before the Premiership begins, Aberdeen look in good shape.

“We were short of numbers with defenders so I wanted to get another one in,” said the Aberdeen manager.

“We have been working hard to get the right level of signings in. I am confident we have the experience and quality defensively.

Aberdeen were not great last week against Siroki; however, it would be wrong to write off their chances even if their opponent’s goal-scorer at Pittodrie, Stipo Markovic, promised that “hell” was waiting for the Scots on Thursday night.

Siroki may play in the modest 5726-capacity Pecara Stadium but their fans have a reputation as the most extreme, and not particularly friendly, in the country.

They were handed a seven-match fans ban after the bad-tempered second leg of the Bosnian Cup Final in May when they lifted the cup following a penalty shoot-out against Sarajevo.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Bosnia and Herzegovina FA found them guilty of “errors in the organisation of the match, supporters’ incitement of hatred against other persons on the basis of the nation and the religion, chanting fascist slogans, booing the state anthem, the use of pyrotechnics and distribution of alcohol at the stadium.”

“I believe it will be hell for Aberdeen in Pecara,” said Markovic. “Although it a small stadium – smaller than the one in Scotland – with the support of our fans we can win the second game.

“The goal in Scotland was my first goal in Europe and I hope there will be a lot more - we are very happy that we have improved our chances of moving on in this competition.

“Scoring away from home gives us a great opportunity. But we must not relax because Aberdeen have shown in the past they can get good results when they travel.”