Aberdeen have completed the signing of Blackburn Rovers forward Dilan Markanday on loan for the rest of the season.
Sky Sports News revealed Aberdeen had made a breakthrough in negotiations on Monday with the player travelling up to Scotland to undergo a medical just before the window closed.
Markanday is a Tottenham academy graduate, who resisted a number of offers – including at least one from Scotland – when he left north London to join Rovers in the January 2022 transfer window.
The 21-year-old has scored two goals in six appearances for Rovers this season, but has been unable to find regular game-time at Ewood Park under Jon Dahl Tomasson.
Markanday spent more than a decade at Spurs and became the first South Asian heritage player in Tottenham’s history when he entered the pitch as a second-half substitute in a Europa Conference League game away at Vitesse.
However, the Barnet-born forward decided to prioritise first-team football, completing a transfer to Blackburn a few months later – only to suffer a hamstring injury after an impressive Sky Bet Championship debut for Rovers against Hull.
Tony Mowbray – who was in charge at Rovers when they signed Markanday – left the club at the end of last season, and minutes have been hard to come by for the forward under Mowbray’s successor, Tomasson.
Markanday joins fellow English-born Punjabi footballer Yan Dhanda in the Scottish Premiership.
Dhanda plays for Ross County and scored direct from a corner against Hibernian on Tuesday night after also netting in a 3-0 win for the Staggies against Kilmarnock last weekend.
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He was not signed in time to be in contention for Wednesday’s visit of St Mirren to Pittodrie in the Premiership, but is expected to be available for Saturday’s visit of Motherwell.
Aberdeen appointed Barry Robson as interim first-team manager earlier this week following Jim Goodwin’s sacking.
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Development phase manager Robson will be assisted by Steve Agnew, with whom he worked with at Middlesbrough, and development phase coach Scott Anderson as the club search for a new permanent manager.
Markanday is the fourth player brought in by interim-boss Robson, with Angus MacDonald, Jay Gorter and Mattie Pollock also arriving at Pittodrie.
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