Aberdeen seal Goodwillie deal
ABERDEEN have clinched the signing of striker David Goodwillie on a one-year deal following his release by Blackburn Rovers.
The 25-year-old was made a free agent after leaving the English Championship club at the start of the month.
The Scotland international, capped three times by the Tartan Army, spent time on loan at Dundee United and Blackpool last season.
He began his career on Tayside before switching to Rovers in 2011 for around £2 million but returned to Tannadice last summer having scored just twice in 28 appearances at Ewood Park.
2011 Scotland Young Player of the Year Goodwillie had been training with Scottish Cup winners St Johnstone and had been linked with moves to Kilmarnock and Rangers.
But the Stirling-born forward, who was linked with a move to the Dons in January before they purchased Adam Rooney, has now opted to move to the Granite City.
And, with strikers Scott Vernon and Calvin Zola already departing this summer, boss Derek McInnes was overjoyed to add Goodwillie to the squad.
“I’m delighted to have secured the signature of David. He’s a striker who has a real capability and it’s up to us as a staff and him as a player to get the very best from him,” he told the club’s official website.
“He joins a squad of good players and he wants to be part of a successful season here at Pittodrie.
"The times we played against United last season, I was concerned when he was playing and delighted when he wasn't.
"Our supporters have always taken to players who work hard and represent the shirt well, and as much as we enjoy our work at Aberdeen, he's coming into a dressing room where he's going to have to work hard to get himself in the team."
He becomes Aberdeen’s third summer signing following the arrivals of goalkeeper Scott Brown from Cheltenham Town and defender Ash Taylor from Tranmere Rovers.
McInnes turned to Goodwillie after missing out on the signing of Kris Boyd, who scored 24 goals for Kilmarnock last turn but decided to return to Rangers.
Goodwillie, who will wear the number 17 shirt, cannot make his debut against Latvian outfit Daugava Riga in the second leg of their Europa League first qualifying round but will be available for the second round against FC Groningen if the Dons can see out a 5-0 lead on aggregate.
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