Forthright Jim Goodwin admits Aberdeen are already facing a transfer fight to hold onto free-scoring striker Bojan Miovski.
The North Macedonia international has become a favourite in the Granite City after bagging six goals in his first eight appearances for the Dons. But Goodwin has revealed transfer intrigue has already been piqued in the former MTK Budapest forward. And Goodwin expects extensive interest in a player who carries a goal threat every time he enters the pitch. The 23-year-old has already become the talisman for a side hell-bent on restoring their status as the Scottish Premiership 's third force.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Mail , he said: "Miovski will be North Macedonia's starting striker and we will struggle to hold on to him. People are looking at him already. Duk has plenty to offer and Clarkson is a proper player. Scales will be in the thoughts of (Ireland manager) Stephen Kenny for an international place."
Goodwin's mammoth Pittdorie revamp hasn't been for the faint hearted with club hero Andy Considine and former skipper Scott Brown seeing their time at the club come to an end. The current Dons boss admits he wished he handled Considine's exit with a defter touch but heaped praise on Brown after he was stripped off his assistant manager title, before being let go for before the end of last season.
However, the Irishman was keen to stress every call he has made is made with Aberdeen 's best interests at heart. He added: "I knew the level of the job coming in. I did all my due diligence, all my research. I knew about the expectation, too. I believe in my ability and I believe in my methods. That's all just words, of course. I have to prove it. There is a school of thought that the job can overpower you. That's not the case. I've enjoyed it all, even the difficult moments.
"I suppose I have learned I am a tougher character than I thought. There are difficult situations but you have to make changes. (Scott Brown is) A real man. Professional, direct, accepting. He knew what was going on, he knew the reality of the situation. He is a top player and man.
"Considine is one situation we could have handled differently, less publicly. I felt we were being backed into a corner and had to put the record straight. Some players had been here too long. I felt they had to go. Time will tell if I am right. There is nothing personal in this. It is all done for the right reasons.
"There has to be fresh ideas. If an organisation - this organisation - is to be successful, then everyone must buy into certain principles. This has to be a respectful, professional environment. There has to be the right characters.
"That culture has to come from above. From the chairman, through the director of football, me, then on to the players. There is a need to be honest, to be upfront. I have been at a number of clubs where there has been sniping in the background. Players weren't buying into what the manager was saying or doing or whatever. But they were not being up front about it.
"I don't work that way. My key is to be approachable. I want to communicate with my players. There will be disagreements. But I am fine with that. I don't want meetings where everyone agrees with me. What's the point in that? We lost three goals against Motherwell, including one from a corner. I set up the defence for that corner in a certain way. It didn't work. I was wrong. I held my hands up to the players after. The result of that match was on me."
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