ABERDEEN look almost certain to break their wage structure in an effort to sign Middlesbrough's unsettled player, Craig Hignett. The Dons have agreed to meet 28-year-old Hignett's wage demands of #8000-a-week in a bid to persuade him to move from Riverside to Pittodrie.
Hignett's agent, Struan Marshall, admitted: ''Craig is considering the offer from Aberdeen and also an offer from Middlesbrough to stay. No decision has been made as yet and he is in New York at the moment with Middlesbrough for an end-of-season tour.''
Hignett is currently out-of-contract at the promoted club and looks likely to leave after a pay dispute, although unhappy Boro fans have presented the club with a 40,000-strong petition demanding that the popular player, who has been at Middlesbrough for six years, stay at the Riverside.
With the new ruling for players over 24, the Dons would not have to pay a transfer fee and can, therefore, afford the substantial wages, which would surpass the #3000-a-week currently earned by Billy Dodds and Ilian Kiriakov.
Manager Alex Miller has told Paul Bernard, Brian O'Neil, and Dean Windass that they can leave in what is a transitional period for the club, and frozen out full back Tzanko Tzvetanov is set to hold talks with Bulgarian side Lokomotiv this week.
As the Scottish transfer scene hots up, former St Johnstone midfielder, Attila Sekerlioglu, last night admitted he would jump at the chance of a return to Scotland. The Austrian is back in his native land after playing his final game for St Johnstone, against Celtic, after three years in Perth. However, a return to Scotland is a favourable option for the player, so long as the deal is the right one.
He said: ''All my options are open and I'd really like to return to Scotland. It's unfortunate things couldn't be agreed at St Johnstone because I had many happy times with the club.
''We won the first division and also did very well in the premier in our first season back in the top flight. Unfortunately, we narrowly missed the UEFA Cup spot, but it was still a good season.
''I would have no hesitation in returning. I feel I have another two to three years playing time left and, if the right offer came in, I'd come back.''
Meanwhile, another of Paul Sturrock's foreigners at Perth, 21-year-old Canadian David Xousa, last night secured a new one-year deal with the club.
The highly rated youngster, a team-mate of fellow Saint Nick Dasovic in the Canadian national side, was spotted by an impressed Sturrock during a short spell in England with relegated first division side, Stoke City.
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