David Bates leaves Aberdeen for Belgian's top flight

David Bates was the subject of the first transfer involving a cinch Premiership club on a slow start to deadline day in Scotland’s top flight.

The former Rangers player’s permanent move to Belgian side Mechelen from Aberdeen was announced in the early evening. The 25-year-old made 35 appearances for the Dons after arriving from Hamburg just over a year ago.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin does not expect striker Christian Ramirez to join Hearts.

The Dons will also allow Connor McLennan and Ramirez to leave Pittodrie if they can find the right club, but the American is unlikely to join Hearts, who were linked with interest.

Goodwin is reluctant to entertain the possibility of allowing a player to join another cinch Premiership club he expects to be vying with for a European place.

“I don’t think that’s a transfer that’s going to happen,” he said at his media briefing on Thursday afternoon. “I can’t see us loaning a player to one of our rivals.

“And as of this moment in time I’m not aware that Hearts have even made contact.”

Goodwin, who ruled out a move for Burton striker Louis Moult, has an eye on two specific targets but does not anticipate any transfer deadline-day incomings to Aberdeen unless one of those players becomes available in the coming hours.

“We have made a couple of enquiries weeks ago about a couple of players who, if they became available, they would be the right types to bring in,” he said.

“But if those two particular players don’t become available, then there isn’t really anything else out there at the moment that either excites us or improves us.”