Derek McInnes has gone into detail about the financial restrictions that he works under.
The Aberdeen boss has come under criticism this season as the Dons slip further from Celtic and face a battle from Ibrox for second place.
Wisely Aberdeen are living within their means, properly financed without soft loans or going concern warnings in their accounts.
Being pitted against a club that will overspent by upto £10m this season can’t be easy but McInnes has a full grasp of the situation and doesn’t want to see Aberdeen at the mercy of the banks.
“The financial side makes it difficult — our wages haven’t moved really,” he told The Sun. “We are debt-free because of that, living within our means.
“Like any club we’d like more in the gates to generate more money. European runs are important, cup runs are important.
“It’s difficult keeping players because we are paying them what we can already. That hasn’t really changed in the last three or four years, and ultimately money does come into it.
“We only spent £200,000 putting this team together with £175,000 on Kenny McLean.
“He is the only money we have spent and we have put together a squad now trying to challenge two teams with vast resources but that’s where we are judged — against Celtic and Rangers.”
With 20 matches played Aberdeen are two points behind Sevco with a game in hand.
Second and third place will guarantee a place in the Europa League with fourth place also qualifying if the Scottish Cup winners finish in the top three.
Aberdeen have finished second in each of the last two seasons but have failed to reach the group stage of the Europa League which could bring in around £5m from television fees and gate money.
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