European side give major Aberdeen manager hint as Scotland face further Euro 2024 injury sweat

IF Elfsborg appear to have dropped a major hint in Aberdeen’s search for a new manager.

The Scottish Premiership side have been without a permanent head coach since Neil Warnock’s bombshell departure from Pittodrie on 9 March, but are finally edging closer to announcing their long-term successor.

Reports in recent weeks state that the hierarchy at Aberdeen are huge admirers of IF Elfsborg boss Jimmy Thelin. 

The 48-year-old had initially distanced himself from reports linking him with a move away from Sweden, but reports now claim that an announcement is imminent surrounding Thelin’s departure at the end of the season.

The Herald understands that IF Elfsborg have called an emergency press conference regarding the manager position which will be held this afternoon.

A statement from the club reads: "IF Elfsborg invites the media to a press conference regarding the manager position.

"A warm welcome to the media centre at Borås Arena today, Tuesday 16 April at 14:00."

Reports this week have suggested Thelin has bid farewell to his players after a six-year-stint in charge ahead of the move to Aberdeen.

After Elfsborg's first defeat of the new season - a 3-0 loss to Hammarby - Thelin faced questions on the links with Aberdeen.

 On the matter, he said: "We'll see what the future holds. We cannot anticipate what happens now.

"Right now I'm in Elfsborg and I'm only focusing on Elfsborg. I won't talk about anything else at this point.

"I am used to there being a lot of speculation in this industry - it always works this way."

Quizzed on whether his player had asked him about the move, he added:  "Everything that happens stays in the locker room."

Scotland boss Steve Clarke has been dealt a further injury setback in the build-up to Euro 2024 after Everton defender Nathan Patterson was forced off in the final minute of his side’s 6-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The 21-time international has played a key part in qualification but now faces a race against time to be fit in time for the Euros in Germany. 

The 22-year-old right-back was only introduced into the game as a half-time replacement for Seamus Coleman with the Toffees already 4-0 down in the Monday night Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge.

It marked Patterson’s first appearance for the Toffees since January, but he was unable to complete the match after sustaining what looked like a hamstring injury while attempting to defend Chelsea's sixth goal which was scored in the 90th minute by Alfie Gilchrist.

Scotland already have a major concern over fellow right-back Aaron Hickey for the Euros with the Brentford defender unlikely to play again this season, according to his manager Thomas Frank, having not appeared since suffering a serious hamstring injury back in October.

Steve Clarke’s issues in the right back area could force him to look at alternative options - Celtic’s Anthony Ralston was called up to the most recent squad - picking up his eighth cap. But he too has struggled with game time and has only managed 30 minutes of competitive football since February.

Elsewhere, Clarke is facing up to the absence of Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson, who is a near certainty to miss the Euros after sustaining an ACL injury in his side’s goalless draw with Monza.