Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has stated it was his own money and not Atlanta United’s that paid for Ronny Hernandez.
The Dons spent around £700,000 to sign the Venezuelan international from Norwegian side Stabaek last January who hardly played a game and has since been sent on-loan to Aberdeen’s partner club in the United States.
Questions were asked when a loan appeared in Aberdeen’s accounts after the signing of Hernandez but Cormack has insisted he put the cash up and has since transferred the money into club shares.
He confirmed: “As far as who paid for Ronny – Aberdeen Football Club paid for Ronny. In our financial accounts for last year, it was noted that a loan came in not long after he was signed.
“That loan was subsequently converted to stock. That came from me and my family. So I put the money in not just for Ronny. I put £1m in to help the club with some cash flow as well.
“I converted it all to shares so the club owes nobody anything for Ronny.”
Cormack also stated he brokered the loan to Atlanta.
He explained: “It was me who approached Major League Soccer and Atlanta. As most people will know, it’s not the individual teams who own the contracts
“It has to go through MLS. It took weeks to make it happen and no one else came in.
“Fortunately, Gabriel Heinze, the new coach at Atlanta, liked him so hopefully he earns the game time he needs to shine.
“He’ll be there until the end of the MLS season.”
The Aberdeen chief has insisted the link remains strong between the clubs and if it hadn’t been for Covid-19 then young Jack MacKenzie would have spent time at Atlanta United 2 under Stephen Glass.
Cormack also dismissed that the link-up was a deciding factor in Glass getting the Aberdeen manager’s job.
He again claimed the club went through a thorough interview process and interviewed other candidates.
Glass is set to travel to Scotland but his arrival has since been delayed. It was hoped he would be there for the St Johnstone game after the split but it now looks like it will be Celtic at home.
Cormack has vowed to back Glass beyond his pre-contract signing of Scott Brown, as player coach.
He insisted: “Stephen Glass is looking positively at the summer window when he wants to bring in new players to complement the best experienced and young players we have under contract for next season and beyond.
“Scott Brown is his first signing and he can be a big influence with his standing and knowledge of Scottish football.
“With Stephen just coming on board, we will work through the plans for next season in the coming weeks.
“I believe you will see good signings for next season.
“In the last financial year that was reported, 2019-20, we spent £9.8million on wages and Hibernian spent £6.6million.
“I don’t have a crystal ball on Covid but I believe we will be competitive.”
He admitted that Aberdeen have had a funding gap of around £12.4 million because of the pandemic and strengthening to their squad.
The American-based tycoon expects fans to be back for the start of the season and in fuller stadiums at the turn of the year - providing there is not another peak.
Cormack, speaking to RedTV, predicted: “My view at this stage is there will be fans back in some limited capacity at the start of the season.
“And into the autumn we would hope it would rapidly move to fuller stadiums.
“But clearly if there is a third wave if this that’s an issue, and one of the reasons we want to hold off just now on season tickets, which we’d normally have launched by now.”
