Aberdeen have beaten the Europa League transfer deadline to land James Wilson on a two-year deal.
Despite interest from Sunderland, Preston and MLS sides, the striker returns to Pittodrie after his contract at Manchester United expired .
Wilson spent a season-long loan in the North-East in the season just past and although he scored just four goals, Derek McInnes feels the transfer is a coup.
The 23-year-old was highly-rated during the Louis van Gaal reign at Old Trafford and won England caps at various age groups but failed to deliver on his early promise.
He was on wages of around £30,000 a week at United and has had to take a massive cut to join Aberdeen .
But McInnes believes he will be an integral part of his team after making him his 10th signing of the summer.
He told the club's website: “I’m delighted to have James back. He is a young player who has had to deal with a lot in a short space of time, but he’s got his whole career ahead of him.
“We feel that he showed glimpses towards the end of last season how effective a player he can be and what a positive impact he can have on the team. We want to try and build on that now that he is an Aberdeen player and not a Manchester United player.”
Aberdeen face Finnish side RoPS at Pittodrie on July, Thursday 11 and Wilson will be in the squad with the Europa League deadline for registering players on Friday.
The Dons have also signed Ryan Hedges, Ash Taylor, Curtis Main, Craig Bryson, Jon Gallagher and Greg Leigh as well as prospects Michael Ruth, Luc Bollan and Sam Jackson.
And McInnes is not done yet – with Sunderland midfielder Dylan McGeouch another target.
