Boss Derek McInnes confident Scott Wright will give his all for Aberdeen until he exits for Rangers

Aberdeen's Scott Wright who has signed a pre-contract with Rangers.

Boss Derek McInnes is confident Scott Wright will continue to give his all for Aberdeen until he leaves for Rangers.

Wright has agreed a pre-contract with the Ibrox club and will join the Premiership leaders in the summer on a three-year deal.

McInnes has already confirmed he will continue to play the Rangers-bound attacker while he is at Pittodrie.

The 23-year-old, who rejected a new Dons contract to move to Ibrox, is set to start for the Reds against St Johnstone in Perth tonight.

While Scott is here he continues to be a key player who works hard for us.

“I’ve no reason to doubt that.

“I see how Scott trains, I see how he’s played in the last couple of games.

“In the last couple of games he has played for us Scott has been very committed and very good.

“You couldn’t question him.”

Derek McInnes

Wright could yet move to Ibrox before the January transfer window closes on Monday as Rangers are keen to fast-track his move.

McInnes insists the ideal scenario would be for Wright to exit now and for the Dons to receive a transfer fee.

However, the Pittodrie boss warned the Dons will only let Wright leave for Glasgow this month if the offer is right.

Otherwise he will remain at Pittodrie, and play, until the summer.

McInnes said: “While Scott is here he continues to be a key player who works hard for us.

“I’ve no reason to doubt that.

“I see how Scott trains, I see how he’s played in the last couple of games.

“In the last couple of games he has played for us Scott has been very committed and very good.

“You couldn’t question him.

“Scott will be in the squad (for St Johnstone).”

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard recently stated he would like a deal to be done to take Wright to Ibrox this month.

Aberdeen’s Scott Wright is substituted in the 2-0 defeat of Motherwell.

However, Aberdeen are adamant that will only happen on their terms.

A possible player swap had been mooted, but it is understood the Dons are not interested in a player coming in from Ibrox.

Aberdeen FC this morning confirms Scott Wright has signed a pre-contract agreement with Rangers and will leave the Club at the conclusion of this season. pic.twitter.com/MTvLJ1GY6Y

— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) January 25, 2021

Aberdeen are due to pay Rangers £350,000 in the summer for Ross McCrorie and that could be used as part of any possible deal for Wright to move before the window closes.

It must be the right deal for the Dons or Wright will see out the campaign at Pittodrie.

McInnes said: “In an ideal situation, these things you want to try and get resolved if you can.

“He is a key player for us and, whether we have a player with six months or five years remaining on his contract, it is important Aberdeen get a good offer.

“If it is not there we continue as we are.

“It’s important we don’t weaken our own team and remain as strong as we can between now and the end of the campaign.

“We’ve got loads to play for and it’s important that we continue to utilise the players that we’ve got, the players that we’re paying wages for and players that are ours.”

Aberdeen are ready to play hard-ball if there is interest in any player.

Aberdeen’s Sam Cosgrove (L) and Motherwell’s Declan Gallagher.

Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday have enquired about Sam Cosgrove during this window.

However, the Owls, operating under financial fair play restrictions, were priced out of any potential move for Cosgrove, top scorer last season on 23 goals.

Aberdeen had accepted a £2.7 million bid from French second tier side Guingamp in the summer, but Cosgrove – contracted at Pittodrie until summer 2022 – rejected the transfer.

McInnes said: “People can look at the evidence of Sam’s body of work.

“Number nines are difficult to come across and, while has not quite reached the heights in recent months, the potential is there and there are clubs in the Championship monitoring Sam.

“Whether they can do anything in this window or beyond, however, remains to be seen.

“Whatever value the club puts on a player is for the club to consider.

“The club has got to be happy with any offer that comes in before it will look to sell.”

McInnes says McLean and Shinnie examples show pre-contract doesn’t mean players down tools

Should Wright see out the final six months of his Aberdeen career, McInnes pinpoints clear examples of players in a similar situation who have thrived.

I think that in the conversations I’ve had with Scott and players in similar situations, it’s important you don’t have anybody question you and you show that full commitment.

“He’s got team-mates here who are friends, and we all want the best for Aberdeen this season.”

Derek McInnes

Scotland international Kenny McLean signed for Norwich in January 2018, but was then loaned back to Aberdeen for the second half of that season.

Kenny McLean scores the winning penalty for Scotland against Israel at Hampden.

McInnes said: “I think that in the conversations I’ve had with Scott and players in similar situations, it’s important you don’t have anybody question you and you show that full commitment.

“He’s got team-mates here who are friends, and we all want the best for Aberdeen this season.

“A couple of examples McLean goes to Norwich, and we probably got the best six months out of him after he left.

“Graeme Shinnie signed a pre-contract with us when he was at Inverness and he wanted to show everybody that he hadn’t downed tools and that he was committed as ever and went on to lift the Scottish Cup.”