Update

Eirik Horneland: Aberdeen close to appointing ex-Saint-Etienne boss as Tony Docherty returns to Dons

Eirik Horneland has impressed Aberdeen chiefs and is close to being named the new head coach, but might not arrive until the summer; former assistant Tony Docherty has returned to the Dons to help Peter Leven who has been in interim charge since Jimmy Thelin was sacked

Anthony Joseph

Sky Sports News @AnthonyRJoseph

Friday 13 February 2026 12:21, UK

Aberdeen are close to appointing Eirik Horneland as their new head coach, but may have to wait until the summer.

It is believed the situation with the Norwegian boss is complicated for various reasons, but the club are relaxed as they look to finalise a deal with the 50-year-old.

Sky Sports News understand Horneland would prefer to join in the summer, rather than at the business end of this Scottish Premiership campaign.

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He is also sorting out his compensation from St Etienne, where he left last month.

The Dons remain confident Horneland will be in charge of the club for next season and are in advanced talks to appoint him.

Horneland was in Scotland two weeks ago for talks with the Dons, including sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel, who has led the thorough process since Jimmy Thelin's sacking in early January.

Pfannenstiel has been a long-term admirer of Horneland's work and tried to sign the Norwegian for his previous clubs Fortuna Düsseldorf and St Louis City.

Peter Leven has been in interim charge since, winning one of four league games, plus progressing past Championship side Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup.

Aberdeen are seventh in the Scottish Premiership, 11 points outside the top six with two games in hand on Falkirk who are directly above them.

Docherty returns to the Dons

Meanwhile, former Aberdeen assistant Tony Docherty has returned to the club.

The 55-year-old will join Leven's interim management team, as the Dons finalise that search for a new permanent head coach.

Docherty was part of former boss Derek McInnes' backroom team and spent eight years at the club, and joined him at Kilmarnock too before stepping into management in his own right at Dundee and Ross County.

"We are delighted Tony can come in and assist Peter Leven and the squad during this interim period", said Pfannenstiel.

"Tony has a wealth of experience and knows the club inside out. He has excellent knowledge of the Scottish Premiership, both as a coach and a manager, and that will be invaluable for us in the short term.

"Our managerial search is now reaching its conclusion, and we hope to be in a position to announce our new head coach imminently."

Who is Horneland?

The 50-year-old started his managerial career as an assistant of Norwegian club Haugesund - a team he represented during his playing career.

He then took charge of the Norway U19 side before returning to Haugesund and impressing over three years.

Horneland was then named Rosenborg manager in 2019 and led the club to third in the league, plus the group stage of the Europa League, before resigning the next year after poor results.

He then moved to Brann as assistant, before a spell as caretaker saw him eventually take the top job as head coach and helped the club seal promotion back to the top-flight in his first season after relegation.

His first season in the top-flight saw the Norwegian club break the league record for points won and goals scored, as he received the league's coach of the year prize. Domestic cup success followed, as did European football, before he left after consecutive second-place finishes.

Horneland then moved to France to take charge of Saint-Etienne but left by mutual consent last month.