Aberdeen are now lurking to hijack a Celtic manager target, who has recently made a major decision about his future.
Dons eyeing Eirik Horneland alternative
The Dons are believed to be close to appointing Eirik Horneland as their new manager. However, when asked whether he is Pittodrie Stadium bound, while on punditry duty for SK Brann vs Bologna in the Europa League, the Norwegian said: “To you? Today? Really.
“No. First I’ll have a little, short break. Then we’ll see what happens in the summer.”
Horneland has been out of work since leaving Ligue 2 side Saint-Etienne at the end of January, after failing to hit the ground running, and losing more matches than he won.
|
Eirik Horneland’s record at Saint-Etienne |
|
|---|---|
|
Games |
43 |
|
Wins |
16 |
|
Draws |
9 |
|
Losses |
18 |
|
Points per game |
1.33 |
The Pittodrie outfit aren’t the only Scottish Premiership side searching for a new manager, with Celtic still yet to bring in a permanent replacement for interim boss Martin O’Neill, who is set to exit Parkhead at the end of the season.
Back in January, it was revealed Ange Postecoglou was a key target for the Hoops, but the Australian has since made a major decision about his future, confirming he has no plans to return to Parkhead on the most recent edition of The Overlap.
Ange said: “In terms of going back, I don’t go back. I just don’t think that’s, kind of, been my career.
“Whatever the next step is, it’ll be something new, something I can make an impact in, somewhere I can win things. But it doesn’t diminish the affection I have.
A move to Aberdeen would certainly be a new challenge, and according to a report from Sports Boom, the Scottish Premiership side are lurking to hijack Celtic for the former Tottenham Hotspur manager if they do not wrap up their deal for Horneland.
With the Dons looking to appoint a successor to Jimmy Thelin, the 60-year-old has now emerged as a surprise target, in what would have to be considered a major coup…
Appointing Ange would be major coup for Aberdeen
Although the experienced manager was sacked by Nottingham Forest after just eight games earlier this season, he could be a fantastic appointment for Aberbeen, having already proven he is capable of competing for silverware in Scotland.
During his time at Parkhead, the Athens-born manager won five trophies, including two Scottish Premiership titles, and he has experienced plenty of success throughout his career, perhaps most notably lifting the Europa League while manager of Tottenham Hotspur in 2025.
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The Gers boss is confident.
Journalist Alex Martin believes Ange, who Dermot Desmond absolutely loves, did a “fantastic” job at Celtic, but he would, of course, be more constrained budget-wise at Aberdeen, given the financial disparity between the two clubs.
As such, it seems unlikely the ex-Celtic boss would be willing to make the move to Pittodrie, and the Dons may have to take a chance on Horneland instead, despite a disappointing spell in France.