On loan striker Steven MacLean insists Aberdeen are still in the race to sign him - despite boss Mark McGhee appearing to rule out a permanent move. And McGhee has indicated that Aberdeen could not afford the Plymouth striker's salary of £6,000 per-week.

But the 27-year-old said: "I'd definitely consider staying."

As reported by BBC Scotland on Friday, Dons' boss McGhee's hopes of pairing MacLean up front with Kilmarnock's Kevin Kyle next season are unlikely to bear fruit.

The wages of MacLean at Plymouth, who will play third tier football in England next term, are a massive stumbling block.

"There's always a chance I'll be here, but I'm just focusing on scoring goals until the end of the season," he told BBC Scotland.

"I have three games to go which are three cup finals for myself.

"Hopefully, I can do well in those for Aberdeen and at the end of the season, sit down with whoever it may be and my agent and try to get myself sorted out.

"I'm contracted at Plymouth so I'll be going back there and we'll need to see what happens but it's been well documented that my future probably doesn't lie there."

MacLean added: "But, I'm not really thinking about my future at the minute, I'm just wanting to play three good games, get a couple of goals along the way and we'll take it from there." But how does the SPL compare to the English lower-leagues where the finances blow Scotland's top-flight out of the water?

"The SPL takes a lot of stick down the road," he said. "We could be doing with a few more teams in the league up here but there's a good standard.

"If you look at the players that come from the SPL and go down south, it shows you there are quality players.

"The financial side of things is higher in the Championship but there are good players and some good sides in Scotland."