Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood is hopeful his six out-of-contract players will all remain at Pittodrie. The contracts of Scott Severin, Darren Mackie, Jamie Smith, Derek Young, Jeffrey de Visscher and Lee Mair all expire at the end of the current campaign and they are all free to speak to other clubs in January.

Calderwood said: "We need to start talking to the boys that are out of contract, although I already know that most of them - if not all - want to stay, it will just depend if we can get the finances right.

"However if any of them do decide to leave then they may as well go right away, but I don't think that will be the case.

"I expect they all want to stay so it is just a case of getting round the table and trying to iron things out financially. However if we do bring anyone in next month it will be a player on loan from England or abroad."