Aberdeen exodus continues as club captain Anthony Stewart follows Vicente Besuijen out of Pittodrie

Aberdeen captain Anthony Stewart and forward Vicente Besuijen have left the Dons on a dramatic end to transfer deadline day in Pittodrie.

Stewart has joined MK Dons until the end of the season on loan, while Besuijen has left Aberdeen to return to Dutch football, joining Excelsior Rotterdam on loan until the end of the season. The Eredivisie side have an option in the deal to buy the player permanently at the end of the season.

Stewart joined Aberdeen from Wycombe Wanderers last summer and was made club captain by then-manager Jim Goodwin. However, his stock at the club has plummeted following two red cards, the latest in the Viaplay Cup semi-final defeat by Rangers, and then being the leader of the team in the 1-0 shock defeat by Darvel and then the 6-0 hammering by Hibs that cost Goodwin his job.

A statement on the Aberdeen website read: “The Club tonight confirms Anthony Stewart has joined English League One side MK Dons on loan until the end of the 2022/2023 campaign. The 30-year-old defender, who has been captain this season, has made 29 appearances for the Club since joining the Dons in the summer from Wycombe Wanderers. Everyone at AFC wishes Anthony all the best during his time with MK Dons.”

Vicente Besuijen has left Aberdeen and returned to the Netherlands. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Besuijen departs after just a year at Pittodrie having fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks. Aberdeen paid a significant six-figure fee to sign the attacker from ADO Den Haag when Stephen Glass was manager. The 21-year-old was one of the few positives of the second half of the season as the club finished tenth in the Premiership. He was a regular at the start of the season playing in different attacking roles behind the central striker. However, his goal contributions dried up and he has barely featured since the World Cup break, starting just once. In total, Besuijen scored nine goals in 42 appearances for the Dons.

Aberdeen, reportedly, are hoping to replace Besuijen with Blackburn Rovers winger Dilan Markanday. The former Spurs youngster is a loan target with two deadline day signings already made in goalkeeper Jay Gorter and defender Angus MacDonald.