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James Wilson will quit Aberdeen on Friday to sign for Salford City.

The Dons, who hope to make a late move before the midnight deadline, signed the Manchester United striker on a two year contract in the summer but he has struggled to hit the heights.

Derek McInnes had him on a loan and the 24-year-old had something of an Indian Summer at the end of last season.

McInnes moved him out wide and persuaded Wilson to take a massive wage cut from what he had been earning at Old Trafford to move to the Premiership.

Wilson has made just 16 appearances for the Dons but most of them have been from the bench and he has decided he wants to move on for regular first-team football.

A move to the English League Two side, who are backed by Manchester United’s Class of 92, including Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville and Nicky Butt, will see him move closer to his home in the North-west and will see him follow in the footsteps of Adam Rooney who made the same move two years ago.

(Image: SNS Group)

The Dons have also decided to cut Zak Vyner’s loan deal short because of injury.

The defender is still recovering from a shoulder issue and has now returned to Bristol City.

Vyner has already done his shoulder twice in the first half of the season and is hoping he will recover with rest but has been warned if it goes again then he will need an operation and be out long-term.

Aberdeen boss McInnes wasn’t prepared to take the risk and after talks with his Bristol City counterpart, Lee Johnson, they have decided to terminate the loan with immediate effect.

Johnson explained: “Zak has a shoulder issue just now. “He has hurt his shoulder and he is back with us.

“We are just monitoring Zak and the decision has been made that he will return to us for the second half of the season.

“Zak’s situation is a tricky one because we don’t know if his shoulder needs surgery or will be okay with rest.

“We can play Zak in a few weeks but we know there is a possibility his shoulder goes again.

“The fact that Zak is not a permanent Aberdeen player means that they are not prepared to take this risk and I totally understand why. “The risk/reward for them is too high and so we have decided it is better for Zak to return to us.”

Vyner made 18 appearances for the Dons and Johnson believes it is a move that has worked out well for all parties – prior to the injury.

Johnson added: “It has been a good move for Zak because he has played a lot of games and done it in a good team and in a good league. “It has been a good experience for him at Aberdeen and I he will come back to us as a better player because of it.

“I have a good relationship with Derek McInnes and a number of other managers up in Scotland and so I would definitely be open to putting some of my younger players up to get experience.”

Midfielder Stephen Gleeson could also move on Friday but it is likely that the Dons will need to pay up the remaining five months of his contract.