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ANDY DRIVER has come home with more than a suntan after being invited to join Aberdeen’s winter training camp in Tenerife.

The 27-year-old free agent showed enough in the Canary Islands to convince Dons boss Derek McInnes he can shine at Pittodrie.

The former Hearts winger, without a club since leaving MLS side Houston Dynamo, is still pinching himself at being pitched into the title run-in.

Driver said: “That was the best trial ever. When you go away you get the chance to meet the guys and it gave the manager more to see in terms of my attitude and fitness.

“I’m coming in at a strange time of the campaign so it was beneficial for us to have that time away.

“I’m happy to be back. I feel I have a lot of unfinished business in this league.

“When I left I had just come back from injury and maybe didn’t reach the level I had wanted to. I won the Scottish Cup with Hearts which was a great experience but I was happy to go and try something new.

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“The biggest positive for me is that I’m returning to a team doing really well in the league right now.”

Subject to clearance, Driver will be pitched straight into the squad for tonight’s clash with Motherwell at Pittodrie.

With leaders Celtic in Sunday’s League Cup Final, tonight’s live TV game gives the Dons a chance to close the gap to three points.

Driver is relishing the challenge of playing a part in the title race.

He said: “I haven’t been here too long but from speaking to the manager and the players it seems to be a well-run club with everyone pulling in the right direction.

“I think my best years are ahead of me. As you get older you get to know your body. A few years ago I was struggling to train twice a week and my legs couldn’t handle it.

“In the past couple of years that has changed – maybe from learning things in America. I never missed a training session last year. I feel confident to give it my all every day.”

McInnes confirmed with Johnny Hayes out with a calf injury, Driver goes straight into tonight’s squad.

He said: “There’s no point in us signing him if it’s going to take five to six weeks to get fully fit.

“He’s shown a good level of fitness but obviously he’s not at the stage the others boy are at.

“We want to bring another wide player to the club next season.

“We’ve got a chance to look at Andy between now and the end of the season to see if he’s the player.

“I like having wingers in the team with the way we play. Andy’s a good option for us. Also, signing him keeps one or two others on their toes as well with 11 games to go.”

The Dons haven’t played since the 4-0 defeat at Parkhead. Clearly that result still hurts but it was gone over in fine detail during the winter camp in Tenerife.

McInnes added: “We just want to respond the disappointment of the Celtic game.

“It was good to get away, be about each other, talk about the game, go through it but also to try to refocus ourselves on the rest of the season.”

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