Aberdeen: Tony Docherty to help ahead of ‘imminent’ appointment.

The 55-year-old first joined the Scottish Premiership club in 2013 as part of Derek McInnes’ management team and went on to spend eight years at Pittodrie.

He was also McInnes’ second-in-command with Kilmarnock before taking on managerial roles with Dundee and Ross County but was sacked by the latter in December with his side bottom of the Championship.

“Tony is very experienced and knows the club inside out,” Pfannenstiel told his club’s website.

He added: “He has excellent knowledge of the Scottish Premier League, both as a coach and a manager, and that will be invaluable to us in the short term.”

He added: “Our management search has now come to an end and we hope to be in a position to announce our new coach soon.”

Levein, who is in his third spell as caretaker coach and whose side are seventh in the Scottish Premiership, welcomed Docherty’s appointment.

Levein added: “It is great to have someone with Tony’s experience back in charge of Aberdeen in the upcoming matches.”

He added: “He was very excited to come when I spoke to him, and his presence and knowledge in both training and matches will be a huge boost for me and the team.”

Hornland left Saint-Etienne at the beginning of last February, as his team occupies fourth place in the French second division.

If Aberdeen decide to wait until the summer for the Norwegian to take charge, it will reverse a six-month delay in Thielen’s arrival at Pittodrie from Elfsborg in the summer of 2024.