Sean Wallace column: Aberdeen face fine balancing act, as selling Scott Wright in January could cost them prize money

Scott Wright celebrates netting against Hibs on his last Aberdeen outing. — Scott Wright, right, after scoring for Aberdeen against Hibs.

Aberdeen face a financial balancing act this month should Rangers bid to take Scott Wright to Ibrox during the January window.

If the Dons were to sell Wright to the league leaders this month, how would the transfer fee stand in relation to Premiership prize money potentially lost if his attacking prowess is not replaced?

Aberdeen are in pole position to finish third in the Premiership, which last season earned £2.06 million in prize money payments.

Fourth last season paid out £1.81m. That is a substantial £250,000 drop, particularly when the club is haemorrhaging cash in the Covid-19 crisis. The Reds are also in with a chance, albeit slim, of beating Celtic to runners-up spot and a Champions League spot. Second spot landed £2.4m.

Wright has been a standout performer this season in a more central role. When he plays, the Reds are more dangerous on the attack.

If he were to exit this window, could the absence of his attacking prowess derail the bid for third – or even second?

Would the Dons be able to source a player of similar ability and impact in the January window for the fee they would receive? I doubt it.

So Aberdeen have to consider whether to sell now and lose a key talent whose absence could damage the season, or keep him to help the campaign before leaving when his contract ends.

Derek McInnes says Aberdeen will not let Scott Wright go to Rangers on the cheap – as looming £350K Ross McCrorie fee looks set to come into play

Celtic chaos after Dubai trip – who would’ve seen it coming?

There was a grim inevitability about the positive Covid-19 test and subsequent self-isolation of close contacts following Celtic’s trip to Dubai.

Who would have thought travelling to another continent amid a national lockdown would have caused potential problems and repercussions?

Well, virtually everyone in Scotland – including the Hoops’ own supporters.

Apparently not the decision makers within the Parkhead club though.

It was announced on the day of Celtic’s rescheduled match with Hibs that Christopher Jullien had tested positive.

Manager Neil Lennon, assistant John Kennedy and 13 other Celtic players then had to self-isolate having been in close contact with Jullien during their trip to Dubai.

Gavin Strachan took charge of Celtic against Hibs.

Clearly concerned for the health of their players and staff, Hibs requested on-the-day Covid tests to provide an extra measure of assurance.

Given the incubation period of the virus it was a reasonable request. However, it was rejected by both the SPFL and Celtic as it is not required under current protocols.

It reflects abysmally on the SPFL, and again, on the defending champions. There has been no contrition, no apology and no admittance of regret from Celtic that the trip to the sun was wrong.

Celtic’s trip to Dubai reeks of privilege and a disconnect from society and their fans.

Hoops assistant Kennedy recently admitted that while in Dubai there had been “slip-ups, minor things which if you get a snapshot you can jump on and criticise”.

The nation is in the midst of a pandemic where people are dying every day, where people are scared.

There is no space for “slip-ups” or “minor things” from anyone, let alone a club with so many fans who see the Parkhead side as role models.

Celtic’s trip to Dubai also brought unnecessary heat on the other 11 Premiership clubs who have all went to a lot of expense and effort to create bio-secure bubbles to keep football going.

When quizzed at her daily briefing on the Celtic trip to the UAE, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged the SFA to look into the warm weather camp.

Yet, when eight Aberdeen players went to a busy local bar on August 1 for a meal Sturgeon issued a yellow card to Scottish football – with the threat of a red.

Celtic didn’t even get a yellow.

There have been suggestions the leagues below the Championship were offered up as some bid to appease the Scottish government following Celtic’s Dubai debacle.

I don’t buy that. The part-time lower leagues have rightly been frozen until the end of January due to the rising Covid-19 infections.

Players were competing without tests and they, along with officials, were travelling across the country for games.

These players are putting themselves at risk and also going home to families.

Suspending the lower leagues was the right and moral call – unlike Celtic’s trip to the sun.