McInnes will fight for Lowe’s Aberdeen return

Boss Derek McInnes confirmed Derby County have not ruled out the chance of Max Lowe returning to the Dons next season.

The 22-year-old left-back has returned to his parent club following the end of a successful loan period.

McInnes is desperate to retain Lowe, who scooped the Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s recent annual awards ceremony.

Rivals Rangers have launched a bid to secure Lowe for next season.

McInnes has remained in regular contact with Derby boss Frank Lampard, the Rams’ chief executive and the left-back’s agent.

Derby could secure promotion to the Premier League on Monday as they face Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

And the Rams have not ruled out a return to Pittodrie for the left-back.

McInnes said: “Derby have not ruled out us being an option for Max again next season. We speak to the manager, the chief executive and Max’s agent.

“It would be naive to think on the back of what Max has done for us over the season that other clubs are not interested.

“There are a host of clubs in England I am sure would take Max as well.

“If there are clubs up here interested in Max as well I am not surprised by that either.

“There is not a lot we can do about that.

“We would like Max back here for next season if we could.

“Max has said often enough that he would love to come back.

“Ultimately, though, Derby will be in charge of this.

“Derby appreciate all that we have done for Max in his development.”

Lowe was drafted in on loan from Derby in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Lampard recalled the left-back during the January window and Lowe started two matches back at his parent club.

He started in the 2-2 FA Cup draw with Premier League Southampton and in the 2-0 loss to Leeds in the Championship.

McInnes was resigned to losing Lowe as Derby were suffering with a full-back injury crisis.

However, Lampard signed England, Chelsea and Arsenal legend Ashley Cole as left-back cover, opening up the way for a Pittodrie return for Lowe.

He racked up 41 appearances, netting three times for the Dons.

McInnes said: “Max is on a three-year contract but we speak to Derby every other week.

“I would not want to lose Max as everyone can see the improvement in him. He got our Players’ Player of the year award.

“I thought that was quite fitting as the players see his qualities as we all do.”

McInnes will fight throughout the summer in a bid to secure Lowe’s return to Pittodrie.

Whether Derby are playing in the English top flight or not could have a huge bearing on whether Lampard releases Lowe on a loan deal for next season.

Lampard rates the left-back highly and signed him on a four-year deal until 2022 on the eve of his move to Aberdeen in August.

However, if Lampard was willing to let him go on loan while in the second tier it is likely he will do the same if Derby beat Aston Villa on Monday to secure promotion to the Premier League.

English clubs also tend to sanction loan deals late in the transfer window, only once their own squad options have been completed for the season.

The Dons may have to sweat it out in the bid for Lowe but McInnes will keep pushing.

He said: “If Derby say he is going to stay with them or they sell Max elsewhere so be it.

“We will have to go and get another left-back.

“But no one is telling me we are not getting Max.

“Until we get that we will continue to try to get him back.”

McInnes’ summer rebuilding is set to step up with the arrival of striker Curtis Main as the Dons are finalising a deal to secure the 26-year-old striker.

Main is set to become a free agent as his contract with Motherwell has run down.

Aberdeen have beaten Hearts to land Main.

Former Reds centre-back Ash Taylor is also closing in on a Pittodrie return. Taylor was in Aberdeen on Tuesday for contract talks with the Dons.

Taylor, 28, is a free agent having had the final year of his contract at Northampton Town terminated this week by mutual consent. He spent three years at Pittodrie but left for Northampton in summer 2017.