Ante Palaversa wants to trigger new Aberdeen deal as he explains why he isn't surprised by Pape Habib Gueye

Ante Palaversa is probably the teammate who has been least surprised with the way Pape Habib Gueye has transformed his fortunes at Aberdeen.

The striker has been a major player for Jimmy Thelin’s Dons and has netted six goals in his last five games. It has been some turnaround for the Senegalese star who had struggled for game time last season and his days looked to be numbered before he was sent for his transformative loan to Norwegian side Kristiansund.

He has returned a different player and is looking like the player Palaversa watched kick into life in their spell together at Belgian side Kortrijk in Belgium. Palaversa confirmed: “I played with Pape in Belgium and we had a really good half a season there. Then Pape got injured, the coach (Luka Elsner) went to Standard Liege and we went down a little bit in the league.

“But that half year we played really good football. Pape is a really good player and I am so happy for him that he is scoring goals and playing really well.

“He was playing at that level when we were in Belgium, around three years ago. I’m not surprised he is scoring now as Pape is a really good player. He will continue like this.”

Palaversa didn’t court Gueye’s advice before he moved to Aberdeen but knew it would be good to have an old familiar face in the Pittodrie dressing room. “I didn’t speak to Pape before I came here,” he admitted. “When I was sure I would get the move to Aberdeen I checked the team and then I realised he was there.”

Croatian midfielder Palaversa has a proven track record. Manchester City paid big-money to sign him from Manchester City. Things didn’t work out for him there with Pep Guardiola’s stars and most of his time at City out on loan with spells at Hajduk Split, Oostende,