ABERDEEN MANAGER DEREK McInnes has confirmed that midfielder Stephen Gleeson is likely to leave the club when the transfer window opens in January.
McInnes described Gleeson as “exactly the type of player we wanted” when he signed him on a two-year deal in the summer of 2018.
However, things haven’t worked out in Scotland for the 31-year-old, who has made just 20 appearances in his 18 months with the Dons.
McInnes revealed that Gleeson was on course to leave the Scottish Premiership outfit in the summer until that prospect was scuppered by an injury.
“Stephen is actually one that we are giving a lot of encouragement to try to move on in January,” the Aberdeen boss said, as reported by the Evening Express.
“He has been back training now for a few weeks, having been injured more or less from the start of pre-season which didn’t help things.
“Maybe the ideal window to try to move Stephen to get regular football would have been in July and August. Unfortunately due to injury that kind of held him back.
“He is a paid player for us and while he is still here he will be under consideration. However, from Stephen’s personal point of view and his family situation, we will try to find a club in January down south.”
Gleeson joined Aberdeen following a short stint at Ipswich Town, where he was signed by Mick McCarthy. He had previously played 125 times during a three-and-a-half-year spell at Birmingham City.
The Dubliner has won four senior caps for the Republic of Ireland. During his most recent international appearance — a 3-1 friendly defeat to Mexico in June 2017 — Gleeson scored Ireland’s only goal.
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