Dons keen to extend Church stay
Aberdeen are in discussions to keep striker Simon Church beyond the summer.
Aberdeen are in discussions to keep striker Simon Church beyond the summer.
The Wales international has scored six goals in 13 matches since arriving from MK Dons on loan in January.
The 27-year-old has a year left on his contract at Milton Keynes but Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes is keen to keep him at Pittodrie.
Church proved a crucial signing as Aberdeen lost top goalscorer Adam Rooney for 10 weeks with a thigh injury.
Assistant manager Tony Docherty said of Church: "We are in discussions. Simon has done fantastically well since he came in.
"It was a big, big loss losing Adam Rooney. You saw that even in our previous game, he was on for 40 minutes and I think he got five or six chances.
"So it's difficult to replace Adam Rooney but Simon has come and got six goals. He has done very well for us.
"So of course there is an interest there. He is a great lad Simon, he has really fitted into the dressing room, he's a fantastic trainer, good professional. So those types of players you obviously keep in touch with.
"But the manager is doing his business on that and we will announce in due course if we have anything to tell you.''
Both Church and Rooney are out of Thursday's Ladbrokes Premiership game with Hearts.
Church aggravated an ankle knock at Celtic Park on Sunday while Rooney's goalscoring comeback against Motherwell proved short-lived as his thigh injury flared up again.
Aberdeen are sure of second spot but are determined to improve on last season's league performance ahead of their penultimate match of the campaign.
"We are going to try and beat the record we set last year,'' Docherty said.
"It was a record outwith the Old Firm to accrue 75 points over the season.
"We now sit on 71 so we are keen to better that. So the game means an awful lot to us.''