Jimmy Thelin has had to make some tough choices ahead of the revamped group stages

21:19, 03 Sep 2025Updated 21:35, 03 Sep 2025

Aberdeen have been given a tough assignment in the Conference League(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)

Aberdeen have confirmed their 23-man squad for the group stages of the Conference League – and there is no place for four of Jimmy Thelin’s summer signings.

The Dons have dropped into the competition after losing out to FCSB in the Europa League play-off round.

And fans hoping for an easy touch in Europe’s third tier competition have been mistaken, with Aberdeen drawing some stellar ties among their eight fixtures.

Thelin‘s men will host Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Noah and Strasbourg at home and make daunting trips to Greece to face AEK Athens, Cyprus to take on AEK Larnaca and the Czech Republic to take on Sparta Prague.

The Reds are in desperate need of some pick-me up results before their European campaign gets underway, with three consecutive losses to open the season leaving them rock-bottom of the Premiership.

However, Thelin and his recruitment team have been able to pull off three potentially huge signings that could spark an upturn in results at Pittodrie.

Sweden international Jesper Karlsson has arrived on a season-long loan from Bologna after previously working under Thelin at Elfsborg.

Aberdeen have also brought in two Scotland internationals with Stuart Armstrong penning a two-year deal with Kevin Nisbet has re-joined the club for £300,000 from Millwall after helping fire the Dons to the Scottish Cup in his loan spell last season.

And while the trio have made the cut for the Conference League along with fellow new boys Nick Suman, Emmanuel Gyamfi, Adil Aouchiche, Kusini Yengi and Marko Lazetic, two other summer signings have missed out.

Alfie Dorrington – who returned to Pittodrie on loan from Tottenham – has been omitted along with Swedish wide man Kenan Bilalovic, who was snapped up for £500,000 from IFK Varnamo.

Also failing to make the cut is Icelandic youngster Kjartan Mar Kjartansson and full back Mitchell Frame, signed from Celtic.

Forward Peter Ambrose joined the club last summer but has failed to make an impact and is the other first team player not to be included.

Goalkeepers

Dimitar Mitov

Nicholas Suman

Rodrigo Vitols*

Defenders

Nicky Devlin

Mats Knoester

Jack Milne

Kristers Tobers

Gavin Molloy

Alexander Jensen

Emmanuel Gyamfi

Midfielders

Graeme Shinnie

Sivert Heltne Nilsen

Adil Aouchiche

Dante Polvara

Leighton Clarkson

Stuart Armstrong

Ante Palaversa

Ryan Duncan*

Dylan Lobban*

Forwards

Topi Keskinen

Kusini Yengi

Nicolas Milanovic

Kevin Nisbet

Jesper Karlsson

Marko Lazetic