Uchechi joins Aberdeen with help of Aluko

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is convinced he has found the new Sone Aluko with a little bit of help from the Rangers winger himself.

Danny Uchechi became the fifth player to join the Dons during the transfer window after a glowing recommendation from his fellow Nigeria international.

Uchechi captained the Nigeria side and played alongside Aluko when their country took part in the FIFA under-20 World Cup in Egypt three years ago.

That was when he was a West Ham player and unsuccessful spells have since followed at Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. Despite that Aluko has reassured Brown that he is getting someone as good, if not better than the former Aberdeen player himself. Now the Pittodrie club’s manager is looking forward to Uchechi providing the sort of creative spark sorely lacking in his team since Aluko left last summer.

Brown said: “Speaking to Sone about Danny was the obvious thing to do because they have played together for Nigeria in the past. When I asked him what he thought about us making a bid to sign Danny, he couldn’t have been more enthusiastic.

“Sone gave him a glowing report and said that Danny was an outstanding player who would do a great job for Aberdeen. He went as far as saying that he thinks Danny is an even better player than him which is a huge compliment and Sone speaking so positively helped convince us he was someone worth going for.

“He’s a great addition to the squad because he has many of the same attributes as Aluko. Like Sone he will run and take on players, beat a man and deliver crosses to create opportunities.

“He can go at opponents with pace and has the ability to create and score goals. He gives us something different from what we already have.”

It wraps up a good month’s work for Brown who also added Russell Anderson, Stephen Hughes and Gavin Rae while bringing Mark Reynolds on loan from Sheffield Wednesday.