By Chris Burton Last updated: 24th June 2008
Calderwood: Tracking targets
Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood is closing in on a deal to take Tim Bakens to Pittodrie.
The Dons have already made tentative enquiries as to the Dutchman's availability and are expected to return with a formal approach this week.
The RKC Waalwijk defender has spurned the offer of a new contract in his homeland and has admitted that he would welcome a move to Scotland.
"Jimmy Calderwood called me to ask if I would be interested in a move to Aberdeen," Bakens said in the Press and Journal.
"I said I would and he told me he would call me back in a couple of days but I have not heard anything."
Despite the delay in negotiations, Calderwood has assured Bakens that he remains a top priority.
"I haven't spoken to Tim since our first conversation but I will be in touch with him this week," he said.
"He is a player who came on our radar after we had spoken to some other targets. I told him it was very difficult to say how the talks were progressing, but if he feels he is second choice then that is not the case.
"He is similar in stature to Rob Jones, of Hibernian, but he is a right-sided player and we were looking for someone who could play on the left. However, we haven't ruled him out and I will talk to him again this week."
While holding out hope that he will be able to bolster his squad in the coming days, one man Calderwood is not expecting to be welcoming to Pittodrie is Mark Kerr.
The Dundee United midfielder had been strongly linked with a switch to the Dons, but is believed to favour a move to England.
"Us signing Mark is news to me," said Calderwood.
"He is a player we were interested in signing but both Willie Miller (director of football) and I were told he was going to England.
"It has been more than two weeks since we heard from Mark or his agent. I am sure it has been a hard decision for him but he can earn a lot more down south, which is why, like so many other players, he wants to try his luck in the Championship."
Calderwood is also facing a quandary over Alan Maybury's contractual situation.
The defender is yet to agree a new deal at the club and looks unlikely to make a decision anytime soon.
"I had hoped to have all the squad together for when we report back to pre-season training next week but it does not look like that will be the case," admitted Calderwood.

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Motherwell vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Aberdeen vs Rangers |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Celtic vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 12th December | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Hamilton |
| Saturday 19th December | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Hibernian |
| Saturday 26th December | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | St Mirren vs Aberdeen |
| Tuesday 29th December | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aberdeen vs Falkirk |
| Saturday 2nd January | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Dundee Utd vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 16th January | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | St Johnstone vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 23rd January | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Kilmarnock |
| Wednesday 27th January | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hearts vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 30th January | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Motherwell |
| Wednesday 10th February | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Hibernian vs Aberdeen |
| Saturday 13th February | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Aberdeen vs Celtic |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 2 - 1 St Johnstone | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Hibernian 2 - 0 Aberdeen | |
| Saturday 24th October | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 0 - 2 Dundee Utd | |
| Saturday 17th October | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 1 - 1 Hearts | |
| Saturday 3rd October | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Aberdeen | |
| Saturday 26th September | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Rangers 0 - 0 Aberdeen | |
| Tuesday 22nd September | |
| Co-op Insurance Cup | |
| Dundee 3 - 2 Aberdeen | |
| Saturday 19th September | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 1 - 0 St Mirren | |
| Monday 14th September | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Falkirk 0 - 0 Aberdeen | |
| Saturday 29th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 0 - 0 Motherwell | |
| Saturday 22nd August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Hamilton 0 - 3 Aberdeen | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| Clydesdale Bank Premier League | |
| Aberdeen 1 - 3 Celtic | |
| Sunday 9th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Hull 0 - 1 Aberdeen | |
| Thursday 6th August | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Olomouc 3 - 0 Aberdeen | |
| Thursday 30th July | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Aberdeen 1 - 5 Olomouc | |
| Saturday 25th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Dundee 1 - 1 Aberdeen | |
| Wednesday 22nd July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Peterhead 3 - 2 Aberdeen | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Dundee United | 10 | 19 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 11 | 18 |
| 6 | Aberdeen | 11 | 14 |
| 7 | St Mirren | 11 | 12 |
| 8 | Hearts | 11 | 10 |
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Barca were stunned by a late leveller, Gers' match was abandoned while Inter march on in Serie A.
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