Aberdeen have undergone a significant squad overhaul this summer, with manager Stephen Robinson bringing in eight new signings to spark a revival after a dismal 2025/26 season. The Dons are set to kick off their campaign in nine days against Highland League champions Brora Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup, followed by group stage matches against Queen's Park, Queen of the South, and Kelty Hearts.
Eight New Faces at Pittodrie
Director of football Lutz Pfannenstiel has worked closely with Robinson to provide the tools needed to get the team firing. The arrivals include Blair Lyons, Lewis Mayo, Dan Happe, and the permanent return of striker Toyosi Olusanya. These signings reflect Robinson's preference for big, physical players who can run hard and pose a threat at set pieces—areas where Aberdeen have struggled in recent seasons.
Full-back Nicky Devlin noted that the players have been asked to run harder in pre-season than in his three previous full campaigns at the club. Conor Ronan, recruited from Colorado Rapids, is expected to add creative spark in midfield, while Austrian acquisition Alexander Breidl, signed in the mould of Pfannenstiel's previous work at Hoffenheim, should provide composure in possession.
Attacking Reinforcements
The capture of Brentford winger Tony Yogane, who impressed on loan at Dundee last season, adds speed in the final third. Yogane could secure a regular starting spot if Topi Keskinen is sold, with Record Sport revealing that Aberdeen have rejected multiple bids from Hungarian side Debrecen for the Finland international. The attacking ranks have also been bolstered by the signing of Morocco international Ayoub Mouloua from FUS Rabat.
Dave Cormack and the Pittodrie hierarchy hope Mouloua can have a similar impact to Hamza Igamane, who secured a £10 million move to Lyon last summer after a season with Rangers.
Formation Flexibility
The big question for supporters is how Robinson will fit all these new faces into the starting XI, especially for the Premiership opener at home to Hearts on August 1. Robinson fluctuated between a 4-3-1-2 and 5-3-2 formation in the final months of last season but appears set to use a four-man defence, as seen in Saturday's 1-0 friendly defeat to FC Twente.
The ability to switch formations depending on the opposition could work to Aberdeen's advantage. In cup matches, where they are expected to dominate possession, an extra midfielder allows them to play out from the back and between the lines. However, Robinson's teams are also known for direct football. Against Hearts, he might revert to a five-man backline to negate the Jambos' threat, using the pace of Olusanya or Yogane for counter-attacks.
Full-Back Concerns
To implement these formations, reinforcements at full-back are needed. Record Sport broke the news that Danish defender Alexander Jensen is close to joining Elfsborg in Sweden, leaving Dylan Lobban as the only recognised understudy to Devlin at right-back. On the left, the starting spot is up for grabs between Gavin Molloy and Mitchell Frame, while injury-prone Emmanuel Gyamfi tries to regain fitness.
With the Premiership opener less than a month away, Record Sport predicts a possible starting XI in a 4-4-2 formation: Dimitar Mitov; Nicky Devlin, Lewis Mayo, Mats Knoester, Mitchell Frame; Kenan Bilalovic, Blair Lyons, Connor Ronan, Tony Yogane; Kevin Nisbet, Ayoub Mouloua.
