Lewis has faith Aberdeen will be ready to shine in Europa League qualifying with draw looming

Aberdeen begin their Euro campaign in less than a month but keeper Joe Lewis is confident Derek McInnes’ rebuild will have them ready.

The Dons enter the Europa League at the first qualifying round stage on Thursday July 11.

They will discover their opponents when the draw is made at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland at 2.30pm British time tomorrow.

The Dons’ opponent for the second qualifying round, should they progress that far, will be discovered in separate draw at 1pm on Wednesday.

McInnes is in the midst of a major overhaul of his squad during the transfer window following the departure of a number of key first team players.

He has already secured three signings in winger Ryan Hedges (Barnsley), Curtis Main (Motherwell) and Ash Taylor (Northampton Town).

However a priority for the Dons boss will be replacing the influence of skipper Graeme Shinnie in midfield who rejected the offer of a new deal to sign a three-year contract with Derby County.

Cover at left back, a creative midfielder and potentially another winger could also be required.

Lewis is confident McInnes will have the Dons squad ready for the Euro openers.

He said: “Players move on in the summer and that is always going to be the difficulty that a club like Aberdeen face.

“When you have players that are doing so well and the team is achieving it is inevitably going to attract attention. That results in players moving on.

“It has happened every year since I have been here and it is happening again this time.

“However we have a manager who will be backed by the club to go and get in the players he is looking at.

“The manager will have a plan in place to replace the players who have left the club.

“He will have targeted certain areas to bring quality players in for the start of the new season.”

Also exiting the club in the summer was Greg Stewart who was on loan from Birmingham.

With his contract at Birmingham expiring this summer Stewart has subsequently signed on at Rangers.

Other loan players who left Pittodrie were James Wilson (Manchester United), Dom Ball (Rotherham), Tommie Hoban (Watford) and Max Lowe (Derby).

Ball has rejected the offer of a permanent deal with Aberdeen.

McInnes is hopeful the Dons will front the queue to secure Lowe next season should Derby opt to put him on loan again.

Aberdeen are keen on securing Wilson, who is a free agent as his contract with Manchester United has expired. The Old Trafford club opted not to pursue the option of a clause for an added one year on Wilson’s deal.

Understood to be on £30,000 per week at Old Trafford, Wilson would have to accept a mammoth pay cut if the Dons were to engineer a Pittodrie return.

Hoban is also a free agent as his contract has expired at Watford. He is battling back from cruciate ligament damage sustained whilst playing for Aberdeen that required surgery.

Defender Hoban is targeting an October return and has indicated he would be open to signing for Aberdeen. McInnes has admitted he would be keen to secure Hoban if fit and available.

McInnes will also welcome back young striker Bruce Anderson from a loan spell at Dunfermline.

Scott Wright will also return after a loan period at Dundee.

Lewis, 31, said: “Bringing in signings in summer can be difficult.

“Obviously we need to bring plenty of new players in but the young lads who came through recently can help alleviate that pressure slightly.

“We had more young lads coming through last season than any other I have been here. Their emergence has been huge.”

Aberdeen will discover their first qualifying round opponent tomorrow as they ready to participate in European action for a sixth straight season.

Lewis said: “Playing in Europe is very important to us.

“The fans really enjoy European football and it was vital for the club that we secure that.”