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Aberdeen star Gary Mackay-Steven has asked for more time to look into his New York City offer – edging him towards a Pittodrie exit.

The Scotland winger will be a free agent in the summer and has been the subject of a pre-contract approach from the Major League Soccer club in the Big Apple.

Aberdeen have offered Mackay-Steven and club captain Graeme Shinnie – also out of contract at the end of the season – bumper long-term deals that would put them among their highest earners in a bid to get them to remain.

For Mackay-Steven, 28, a move to New York would be life changing and that rather than finance could sway him towards a move.

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Manager Derek McInnes said: “I spoke with Gary on Wednesday and he said he wants to find out a bit more about the New York City offer. It would be a change in his life and he has to weigh everything up and take his time with that.

“He’s a clever boy and not your typical footballer. He’ll be weighing everything up and it will not just be the club or the league or the contract. It will be the manager and everything.

“That’s an offer that’s real and they’ve contacted us. I’m sure Gary will want to look at that a bit more closely and see if it’s for

him or not but he’s still not told us we’re not under consideration. Until he tells us that, we live in hope.”

McInnes seems more upbeat in his bid to keep his skipper. Wigan have been watching Shinnie but the manager isn’t convinced they will make an offer.

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He said: “On Wigan itself, Paul (Cook) is actually one of my best friends in football and he phoned me on Wednesday to say there was nothing in it.

“There’s been no offer to Shinnie and he hadn’t spoken to him or his agent.

“He did say Shinnie was a player he was aware of and liked but there was nothing in it. He hasn’t signed with anybody and the window has been open a while now which suggests we’re still in the running.

“We have a really good relationship so I have an understanding of where he’s at. But we all have decisions to make in life and weigh it up, regardless of where it is.

“We’re keen to keep him and we’ll do all we can. If Graeme indicates here is the preferred option then hopefully we can get the deal done. We’re certainly hoping that’s the case.”

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McInnes is adamant he and the board are doing everything financially within their power to keep Mackay-Steven and Shinnie. If they do decide their futures are elsewhere then the club will have done everything they possibly can.

He said: “We know the importance of keeping both players but sometimes it’s not even about finance. Both players are similar age and I understand why they have a lot

to consider.

“Our offers will be strong but it still might not be enough. But we live in hope.

“For both lads, if we get into the nitty-gritty of negotiations and length of contract was important to them, it’s certainly open to us.”