Aberdeen: Kenny McLean to leave Dons, says Derek McInnes

Manager Derek McInnes is not ruling out a January sale for midfielder McLean

Aberdeen midfielder Kenny McLean intends to leave the Premiership club, according to Dons boss Derek McInnes.

The 25-year-old, who moved to Pittodrie from St Mirren in 2015, is out of contract in the summer.

"Unfortunately, Kenny McLean has indicated he's going to leave at the end of the season," said McInnes.

"I am totally fine with that. Disappointed, but grateful that Kenny and his agent have been honest enough to say that's the intention."

McLean was a product of St Mirren's youth system and joined the Dons for a fee in the region of £300,000.

The midfielder has scored two goals this season, the winning goal in the League Cup victory against Hamilton and in the 4-3 league victory against Partick Thistle in August.

"Part of the pitch to Kenny when he signed was to develop himself into a full Scotland international and be part of a successful team here, and I think he's done that," added McInnes.

"We want him to go out on a high with us, hopefully achieving everything we want and involved in Scotland squads coming up."

'Hugely influential'

McInnes refused to rule out selling McLean in January, saying: "We're not looking to do it.

"Kenny's performances will dictate if someone wants to come in. He's certainly a player who is capable of attracting interest, that's part of the reason why we went out and bought him.

"He's been hugely influential and his commitment to us has been clear. His running stats and high-intensity work, he has been hands down better than any other player.

"If we get an offer in January we may or may not consider it. We control that in January. But Kenny, having had plenty of conversations with him, he has loved his time here and his focus is on doing as well as he can for us."

When asked if he knew where McLean's next destination was, McInnes said: "That's his business, it's not my business to be honest.

"He just feels, he will have been here three-and-a-half years, and his desire is to look somewhere else. Wherever that may be, we don't know."

McInnes added that the club is working on a new deal for defender Anthony O'Connor.

"We are engaging with his agent and Anthony and there seems to be a willingness that he wants to be here," he said. "So we are working hard on that one. Nothing to tell at the minute."