Lewis Ferguson is adamant he is fully focused on driving Aberdeen up the cinch Premiership table after his summer of uncertainty.
The midfielder submitted a transfer request in May after an offer from Watford was rejected, and there was subsequent interest from other clubs, including Rangers and Huddersfield.
However, Aberdeen stood firm and decided to keep hold of a player who is under contract until 2024.
Ferguson insists he is comfortable with the situation and will never allow any issues surrounding his future to impact his football.
He said: “It’s not really affected me. Obviously it was a tough summer with a lot of speculation and stuff but I just need to focus on football and playing with Aberdeen at the minute.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m just taking each game as it comes and focusing on football because if my mind goes elsewhere you can lose focus and performances can drop. I’m trying my best to focus on the football.
“I knew it was never going to affect my focus. I’m not the sort of person to down tools or any of that kind of stuff. I knew in myself that I would focus and give 100 per cent to Aberdeen while I’m here.”
Ferguson has found that remaining at Aberdeen has been no barrier to inclusion in the Scotland squad.
The midfielder got his first call-up for the last round of international fixtures and has retained his place in Steve Clarke’s squad for the upcoming double-header against Israel and the Faroe Islands.
Ferguson said: “It was nice to get called up again. I loved it last time I was there. We had some great results. I’m in good company with players at the top level of the game so it’s a great feeling to be called up again.”
Seventh-placed Aberdeen host sixth-placed Celtic this Sunday in a match between two sides struggling for results.
Ferguson said: “Both of us are not in great form. Both should probably be higher in the league than where we are.
“We’re frustrated with the past seven or eight games because we’ve been dominating games and not managing to come away with the three points. We’ve been giving away cheap goals and not scoring enough, and you’re never going to win games if you’re doing that.
“We’re working hard in training so hopefully things will turn and we can go on a long run of picking up points because we’re nowhere near where we should be in the table. We need to do better.
“Celtic are always a dangerous opponent no matter where they are in the table or how their form is because they’ve got some of the best players in the league. We’re expecting a tough game.”
