2024–25 Aberdeen F.C. season

The 2024–25 Aberdeen F.C. season was Aberdeen's 112th season in the top flight of Scottish football and the twelfth in the Scottish Premiership.^[1] Aberdeen also competed in the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.^[2]

Aberdeen finished the season by winning their first Scottish Cup in 35 years after defeating Celtic on penalties in the final. This was also their first title since 2014. In the league, Aberdeen finished fifth after a very strong start was followed up by only five wins in 27 games. Due to the cup win, the team qualified for the 2025–26 UEFA Europa League play-off round for the next season.

On 3 June, new manager Jimmy Thelin officially took charge replacing interim coach Peter Leven.^[3] On 6 June, after making over 350 appearances player-coach Jonny Hayes left the club and later announced his retirement from football.^[4] Youngster Fletcher Boyd signed a new contract until 2027. Kelle Roos, Connor Barron, Anthony Stewart, Kieran Ngwenya, Finlay Murray, Kai Watson, Chris Kondolo, Aaron Reid, and Reuben Smillie all left the club. Defender Gavin Molloy signed from Shelbourne, striker Peter Ambrose from Újpest and Dimitar Mitov from fellow Premiership side St Johnstone all for undisclosed fees. The Dons announced they will travel to Portugal for a pre-season training camp and have a friendly against Peterhead with an XI select against Huntly and Turriff United.

Aberdeen's pre-season friendly with Peterhead was moved to Cormack Park due to weather conditions in Peterhead with the Dons winning 4–0. On 11 July, forward Duk was announced missing from training by the club with the player going AWOL. Aberdeen took disciplinary action against the Cape Verde international. On 12 July, Dante Polvara suffered an injury and is set to be ruled out for at least four months and Norwegian midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen joined from SK Brann. The club opened the season with a 3–0 win over Queen of the South in the League Cup. This was followed with wins against East Kilbride, Airdrieonians and Dumbarton to top the group and setup a Second round tie with Queens Park. Leighton Clarkson was ruled out for eight weeks with a shoulder injury and Junior Hoilett was not offered a new deal and left the club.

Youngsters Adam Emslie and Finday Marshall joined Cove Rangers on loan deals along with Blair McKenzie who joined Montrose. Aberdeen began the League season with an away win against St Johnstone. Ante Palaversa joined the club from Troyes for an undisclosed fee and also Finnish winger Topi Keskinen signed from HJK Helsinki for a reported £860,000. Macedonian forward Bojan Miovski was given a send-off from fans in the win against St Mirren as he later signed for Spanish La Liga side Girona for a club-record fee of £6,800,000. Keskinen scored a 92nd minute winner against Queens Park in the League Cup to setup a tie with The Spartans. Ryan Duncan later joined Queens on loan for the season. Defender Richard Jensen also went out on loan to Vejle. The Dons then signed Kevin Nisbet on a loan deal from English Championship side Millwall. He made his debut in the home win against Kilmarnock with striker Pape Habib Guèye scoring both goals with headers. Defender Jayden Richardson left the club on transfer deadline day. A 98th minute winner from Nisbet seen Aberdeen briefly top the league at the end of the month with the club having won every game of the season so far

Call-ups for the September Internationals included Jack Milne, Alfie Bavidge and Fletcher Boyd for Scotland youths, Topi Keskinen for Finland, Dimitar Mitov for Bulgaria and Slobodan Rubezic for Montenegro.^[5] An Aberdeen XI played in a Testimonial match at Cove for their player Blair Yule with both Shayden Morris and Kevin Nisbet scoring. On 7 September, the club announced Duk had returned to training having gone missing earlier in July.^[6] The Dons remained on their winning run with wins against Motherwell and Dundee and also in the League Cup against The Spartans, setting up a tie with Celtic in the Semi-finals at Hampden.

On 1 October, Nicky Devlin received his first Scotland call-up for the UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and Portugal.^[7] Pape Habib Guèye was ruled out for fourteen weeks with a quad muscle tear he picked up in training.^[8] After the International break, the Dons came from two goals down to draw away to Celtic. This was followed with a battling win against Dundee United as Peter Ambrose scored his first league goal. The unbeaten run continued with an impressive and enthralling win also at home to Rangers.

However, the unbeaten domestic run ended in devastating fashion at Hampden as Daizen Maeda scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 mauling. Young goalkeeper Rodrigo Vitols signed a contract extension, keeping him at the Club until at least 2027. Manager Jimmy Thelin was named Scottish Premiership manager of the month for October and Nicky Devlin was named Player of the month. They bounced back at home to Dundee, the fourth sell-out in-a-row at Pittodrie. The club reported a record turnover of £23.6 million in its annual accounts for the year ended 30 June 2024, an increase of 49% on the previous year’s £15.8million turnover. The unbeaten League run came to an end at a snowy St Mirren Park thanks to a 2–1 loss which also included a red card overturned by VAR. Three goals in added time at Easter Road saw the Dons in a pulsating 3–3 draw with Hibernian, where Sokler scored a brilliant overhead kick only to be pegged back by Rocky Bushiri's first goal for the home side.

Goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was injured in the draw at Hearts, ruling him out for up to six weeks. In the Scottish Cup, the Dons were drawn away to Elgin City in January. Their unbeaten home record came to an end in a tight 1–0 loss to Celtic. They were then left frustrated in a wet and windy afternoon at Pittodrie which seen them battle to a draw against St Johnstone. The annual AGM took place with chairman Dave Cormack confirming the tribunal fee for last seasons want away midfielder Connor Barron to Rangers had still not been paid. The miserable run in the League continued with successive losses, firstly after leading against Hibernian, a 4–0 hammering at Kilmarnock on Boxing Day, and at Tannadice against Dundee United to a 94th minute winner for the home side.

A tribunal fee was agreed for Connor Barron with Rangers but the club unhappy with the process but in return a guaranteed sum of £639,920, with an additional £250,000 dependant on performance. Goalkeeper Mitov was again ruled out for four weeks with a minor injury. The Dons seen in the new year in a blizzard of snow at home to Ross County but lost 2-1. Both Gavin Molloy and Ester Sokler were injured and later confirmed to be ruled out of action, Molloy until May and Sokler for at least eight weeks. Youngster Dylan Lobban extended his stay at Cove Rangers until the end of the season whilst Alfie Bavidge was recalled from his loan but then sent out to Inverness Caledonian Thistle along with youth captain Alfie Stewart. The first team continued to struggle, losing again away to Motherwell with Rubezic sent off for an apparent head-butting. Croatian midfielder Ante Palaversa signed a two-year contract extension, tying him to the club until the summer of 2027. The club added further signings of Jeppe Okkels on loan from English Championship side Preston North End and Latvia captain Kristers Tobers from Grasshoppers for a reported £800,000. Ross Doohan saved a ninety-third minute penalty in a goalless draw at home to Hearts. Centre-back Alfie Dorrington joined on loan from English Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur and full back Alexander Jensen signed from Swedish side Brommapojkarna for a reported £600,000. However defeats followed away to Rangers and at home to St Mirren. On 17 January, Aberdeen born Scotland Forward and Ballon d'Or winner Denis Law died aged 84. The club began their Scottish Cup run with a victory at Elgin City. On 19th January, former manager Jimmy Calderwood died aged 69. James McGarry joined Greek side Athens Kallithea on a loan deal.

The club endured their fourteenth League match without a win with defeat at Hibernian. On transfer deadline day, Duk left to join La Liga side Leganés for £600,000, Dutch centre-back Mats Knoester joined from Hungarian side Ferencváros and Palestine forward Oday Dabbagh signed on loan from Belgium side Charleroi with the option to buy. Defender Angus MacDonald left on a free to join Exeter City and fellow defender Slobodan Rubežić left on loan to join his former side Novi Pazar ten days later. A win against Dunfermline Athletic seen them into the Scottish Cup Quarter Finals. They ended the winless run with victory at Dens Park by edging Dundee and reclaiming third place with an "outrageous" goal from Topi Keskinen. Oday Dabbagh's injury-time goal edged out Kilmarnock at Pittodrie. But a ruthless Celtic again cruised past the Dons with Morris' ninetieth-minute goal a mere consolation. The club announced before the match injured forward Jamie McGrath will leave the club at the end of the season following the expiry of his contract and join fellow Premiership side Hibernian.

Kevin Nisbet struck in stoppage time as they came from 2–0 down to earn a point at home to Dundee United. Aberdeen sealed their passage to the Scottish Cup semi-finals in comfortable fashion as they put four past Queen's Park. This was followed up with a drab goalless draw away to St Johnstone. The International break again seen Dimitar Mitov pick up an injury. He did pick up an award for the third best footballer of the year for Bulgaria. After going behind against Motherwell at home, they romped to victory to secure their place in the League's top six.

Shayden Morris scored a brilliant solo goal to see off Ross County at Dingwall. Scotland U21 international Jack Milne penned a new long-term contract seeing the defender remain until at least 2029. The Dons blew a two goal lead against Ten-man Rangers as the Ibrox side staged an incredible comeback to snatch a last-gasp draw at Pittodrie. A trip to Glasgow seen the club win the Scottish Cup Semi-Final in extra-time against nine-man Hearts 2–1 at Hampden Park with a 119th-minute winner from Oday Dabbagh. It will be their first Final since 2017 which was also against Celtic. Kevin Nisbet's stunning strike condemned former club Hibernian to defeat and moved Aberdeen level on points with the Easter Road club. Manager Jimmy Thelin was given the Manager of the Month award for a third time after also receiving it in August and October.^[9]

The Dons lost out to St Mirren in a tight game won with a single goal Mikael Mandron. Over 20,000 Dons supporters bought tickets for the Cup Final and sold out their allocation. A poor second half from the Dons saw them well beaten by Rangers in Glasgow. They were guaranteed a return to European football next season despite a heavy home loss to Celtic. The League season ended with defeat away to Dundee United, with the Dons finishing in fifth place. But the match was marred with a pitch invasion and a Dons supporter throwing a seat and hitting defender Jack MacKenzie who suffered a facial injury. The 31 year old supporter was later charged for the incident for "acting in a culpable and reckless manner". Aberdeen finished the season by winning their first Scottish Cup in 35 years after defeating Celtic on penalties in the final.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

As of 24 May 2025

As of 24 May 2025

• List of Aberdeen F.C. seasons