ABERDEEN FC today called on Stephen Hughes to put football before finance and move to Pittodrie.
Aberdeen FC director of football, Willie Miller, admitted the club cannot match the sums of money others are willing to pay the midfielder, who is wanted by teams in Scotland and England.
But Miller is hoping Aberdeen FC boss Mark McGhee, who managed Hughes at Motherwell, can convince the 26-year-old to become a Red.
He said: “It’s a difficult one because he is well in demand and there are clubs with bigger pockets than we have that would like him.
“But Mark hopes to have a conversation with him about football. We have done that in the past and managed to persuade players to come here.
“A top club would blow us out of the water, and if we are talking about Championship clubs, then they pay more than anyone in Scotland.
“The Aberdeen fans, in general, are sensible people and they realise that.
“If Stephen enjoyed the football side of things with Mark, then we have a chance.
“But he would have to come for that reason and not financial reasons.”
Hearts are said to have offered Hughes £2,500 a week to move to Tynecastle.
The former Rangers player, whose current Motherwell contract expires this summer, has not ruled out penning a new deal to remain at Fir Park.
McGhee was Hughes’ manager for two years before leaving Motherwell for Pittodrie this summer.
The new Aberdeen FC boss has been left to deal with Hughes, and Miller has not yet been involved in any negotiations.
He said: “Mark was on holiday last week and is back today, so I’ll catch up with him then and we will take it from there.
“Stephen was Mark’s player, so he has been handling that.
“I haven’t even got into it yet.”
Miller admitted that should Hughes sign, he would be one of just a couple of fresh faces coming to Aberdeen FC before the close of the transfer window on September 1.
He said: “There will not be many new players coming to the club.
“There will be two, or maybe three.
“But the focus is not on numbers.
“It’s on Mark bringing two or three quality players that will make an impact in the first team.”