Aberdeen FC are closing in on a new manager, with sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel in the final stages of his search. The German can be found in the dugout on matchdays as the search for Jimmy Thelin's successor looks to be nearing an end. Confirmation of an experienced European boss is expected to be confirmed sooner rather than later. But will Jimmy Thelin's successor have the right tools, in terms of the Aberdeen FC squad he is inheriting, to be able to hit the ground running? The fact is that Aberdeen FC had a lot of talent in the squad that came into the new year. The problem was that they failed to really hit those heights either collectively or individually. That was why Scottish Cup-winning boss Thelin paid the price with his job, just a few short months after their Hampden glory. Pfannenstiel came in and immediately identified that the squad needs more physicality, grit and know-how of Scottish football. He also knew that, coming into January, he was going to have to cut the Aberdeen FC squad and wage bill. They had bulked up for the Conference League group stages and they had gone well over budget. Alfie Dorrington was the first to go. The Tottenham Hotspur defender had done well at the end of his loan last season and returned in the summer. The central defender, however, found himself even more limited in terms of game time and was left wondering why he had returned on loan? It was little surprise that Ester Sokler and Vicente Besuijen also pretty much said their Pittodrie farewells. Sokler turned his loan to Radnicki into a permanent move. He had shown brief glimpses but the hope he was going to be the next Bojan Miovski was never going to materialise. Besuijen has been so unlucky with injuries and has spent a lot of his time at Aberdeen FC on loan, so the writing had been on the wall for him for some time. The winger will now see out the final few months of that Pittodrie deal back at FC Emmen. A big one was to get Kusini Yengi out. The Australian international arrived in the summer but quickly fell out of the picture. Pfannenstiel has managed to get his wages covered, a loan fee and potential option for a permanent sale from J-League side Cerezo Osaka. Another major saver was Jesper Karlsson. It always looked like he would depart after Thelin left. He was recalled by Bologna and loaned to Utrecht. The Swedish winger is a top player. He showed that on occasion in a red shirt but not often enough. Karlsson will have left Aberdeen FC as frustrated as the Red Army who watched him week-in week-out. Aberdeen FC still have plenty of wide options with Topi Keskinen, Nicolas Milanovic and Kenan Bilalovic. Those early departures freed up a fair amount of wages and allowed Aberdeen FC to go into the market. The first arrival was Lyall Cameron on loan from Rangers. It was a move that split the fans, who aren’t keen on loans from Celtic or Rangers. Aberdeen FC had also been in for him before he left Dundee. The midfielder is a good player and made an immediate impact. And with the new manager set to be appointed, Aberdeen FC fans will be hoping that the squad is now in a better shape to compete in the Premiership. But only time will tell if the new boss will be able to get the best out of the players. So far, the signs are promising, with the squad looking more balanced and competitive. The new manager will have a tough job on his hands, but with the right tools and a bit of luck, Aberdeen FC could be set for a successful season.