Stephen Robinson has issued a direct challenge to Emmanuel Gyamfi to return next season in better physical condition and ready to make a real impact at Aberdeen.
The left-back endured a frustrating debut campaign at Pittodrie, hampered by a series of minor injuries that severely limited his availability throughout the season.
Robinson wants the former Schalke defender to strengthen his body so he can handle the physical demands of Scottish football on a consistent basis.
The Aberdeen manager also believes the 21-year-old will benefit greatly from completing a full pre-season training programme under his watch.
“He has not had a pre-season,” Robinson said, adding that players who miss pre-season struggle to match the intensity he demands from his squad.
“Doing that in March is very, very difficult and to get anyone fitter at that stage is difficult,” Robinson explained, outlining the challenges of bringing players up to speed mid-campaign.
“I like Ema and I think he is a very talented boy but we need him to be on the pitch much more often,” Robinson continued, confirming he has communicated those expectations directly to the player.
Midfielder Afeez Aremu is another player Robinson expects to return significantly sharper, having taken time to settle following his January arrival from Kaiserslautern.
“They have not played much football over the last few months and we have to make sure they stay fit and they have to be mentally tough to make sure they get through these situations,” Robinson stated.
Although the first-team squad has been given a break, Robinson has ensured individual fitness programmes are in place to prevent players returning below the required standard.
“They will 100 percent get programmes,” Robinson confirmed, noting that the era of players spending four weeks off without structure is firmly in the past.
“We hit the ground running again and want to work tactically so that we do not waste time getting people up to speed when they should be coming back in that condition anyway as they are professional footballers,” he added.
Winger Topi Keskinen is currently on international duty with Finland, with his side facing Germany before Robinson allows him additional recovery time ahead of the pre-season trip.
“Topi will go away so won’t have the break but will have a little bit longer than anyone else and he will meet us for our pre-season trip,” Robinson said.
On the transfer front, deals for Kilmarnock pair Brad Lyons and Lewis Mayo are set to be finalised, with both expected to be among the first new arrivals at Pittodrie this summer.
Robinson has been informed that any significant inward investment will require funds to be generated through departures from the current squad.
Marko Lazetic, Nicolas Milanovic, Kenan Bilalovic, Alexander Jensen, and Ante Palaversa are all players who could leave the club before the new season begins.
Western Sydney Wanderers are among the clubs interested in Milanovic, keen to bring the former winger back to the A-League, while Jensen has options in Denmark and Sweden including Malmo.
Croatian midfielder Palaversa has attracted interest from Belgium, South Korea, and his homeland, and Bulgarian international goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov has also been linked with a possible departure.
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