CHARLTON are chasing Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond.
The big centre-half is out of contract in the summer and is high on the wanted list of Addicks manager Phil Parkinson.
The English League One outfit could better his current wage, even though he is the top earner at Pittodrie, and Parkinson believes the Dons ace could help them make their mark if they were to get to England’s second tier.
Championship side Barnsley are also looking at Diamond and he may get other interest at that level, although his stock has fallen dramatically in recent times.
He had been tipped for a move to the English Premier League earlier in his career but has failed to hit the heights and this season has been a major disappointment as the Dons have slumped to the bottom of the SPL table. On Friday the player dropped his biggest hint that he is ready to quit.
Aberdeen have already told their out-of-contract players they will need to take wage cuts and that is something Diamond is not keen to do.
The introduction of Craig Brown and Archie Knox as their new management team is unlikely to sway the defender into staying.
The pair, who will be officially unveiled at a Pittodrie press conference this morning, have been given the green light to gut the squad that got Mark McGhee the sack and getting Diamond off the wage bill would allow them to bring in new blood.
Express Sport revealed on Saturday that Brown wants to make former Scotland cap David McNamee, who is a free agent after his release from Plymouth, his first signing.
He is also trying to sign Nick Blackman on loan from Blackburn and Alan Gow, both of whom are set to see their Motherwell deals expire next month. Motherwell and Aberdeen are already at loggerheads over Brown’s departure, with the Steelmen claiming the Dons went behind their backs and have since reported them to the SPL.
But Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne has hit back and claims they were first approached by an agent, representing Brown.
Milne said: “An agent contacted the club last week with regard to Craig and Archie and we indicated we would be keen to talk. Craig subsequently informed Motherwell that Aberdeen were interested in speaking to him and they raised no objection.
“Motherwell’s subsequent statement on Wednesday referred to the fact there had been discussions between the parties without any suggestion of criticism of ourselves and it was therefore a surprise to us and Craig to learn of the accusations of inappropriate conduct.”
The SPL are set to investigate Motherwell’s claims.
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Probably too good to be true.