Luis Lopes to be unleashed by Aberdeen as Jim Goodwin gives Kelle Roos number one nod

Kelle Roos is set to start the Premiership season as Aberdeen’s new number one with Joe Lewis facing a huge fight to reclaim his place between the sticks.

Dons boss Jim Goodwin revealed he has spoken to stalwart Lewis about the situation and told him summer signing Roos has his hands firmly on the jersey with just 12 days until the curtain raiser at Celtic Park. The Dutchman will start for a third successive Premier Sports Cup tie against Stirling Albion this evening.

But while former captain Lewis has been dethroned, Goodwin is preparing to unveil the ‘Duk’ - Luis Lopes - in the clash at Forthbank. Lopes made the £400,000 switch to Pittodrie from Benfica B last week and last night the Visa process was completed in time for the 22-year-old to take his place in tonight's squad.

Should that be the case, he will find himself beside Lewis who after six seasons and 207 Aberdeen appearances now finds himself playing back-up in the goalkeeping stakes. Goodwin said: "I'm not into rotating and moving things about too much as I take this competition very seriously.

"Kelle has got the jersey at the moment and kept a couple of clean sheets. I've had a conversation with Joe about the situation and he knows he had a poor season last time.

"He's honest enough to admit that but he has come back in terrific form in pre-season. So we have got a battle on there but Roos has the jersey at the moment knowing the level of competition behind him. He needs to keep his standards up and I don't care who it is everybody has to play to their highest level to stay in the team."

Lopes arrived at Pittodrie as Goodwin’s seventh summer signing last week and trained over the weekend while waiting on the paperwork to be completed on his move from