Aberdeen youngster Jamie Mercer and Caley Thistle midfielder Joe Chalmers joins Cove Rangers on loan

Aberdeen youngster Jamie Mercer and Caley Thistle midfielder Joe Chalmers have joined League One Cove Rangers on loan.

Aberdeen Youth Academy graduate left-sided defender Mercer has been training with Dons boss Stephen Robinson’s first-team squad since the Northern Irishman’s appointment at Pittodrie in March.

The 18-year-old was named in the Aberdeen match-day squad for the first time for the final Premiership game of last season, against Dundee at Dens Park.

He then joined the Reds senior squad on their summer pre-season training camp in the Netherlands in July, and though he has yet to make an appearance for the Dons first-team, was given the squad number 42 for the top-flight campaign.

Robinson had implied it was likely Mercer would go out on loan this term, though, previously telling The Press and Journal: “We know he probably needs to go and play football and get a loan.”

Mercer will now get his chance to impress at Paul Hartley’s Cove in the third-tier.

It is understood Mercer trained with Cove on Thursday and could make his debut against local rivals Peterhead in the north-east League One derby at the Balmoral Stadium on Saturday.

Cove have an SFA loan co-operation agreement with Aberdeen, an arrangement which means young Scottish players can move freely between their loan club and parent club when required, in contrast to a traditional loan deal.

Mercer will join fellow Aberdeen Youth Academy talents Joseph Teasdale and Dylan Ross, both also 18, on loan at Cove from the Dons this season.

Mercer denied Dons left-back run by pre-season ankle injury

An ankle injury suffered in the Netherlands hampered Robinson’s plan to give teen Mercer a pre-season run at left-back for Aberdeen in the absence of the injury-plagued Emmanuel Gyamfi, and before the summer signing of Nesta Guinness-Walker.

At the time of Mercer’s injury, Dons boss Robinson described it as “a real blow” for the youngster, who has overcome long-term hamstring issues coming through the youth ranks at Cormack Park – problems which also stymied his loan at League Two Elgin City last term.

Highly-rated, fast, aggressive stopper Mercer – who is mainly viewed as a centre-back – has recently returned to fitness and has been back playing for Aberdeen’s B team in competitive matches in recent weeks.

He featured for the Emerging Talent squad in their Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup win at Highland League Keith in midweek.

ICT midfielder heads to Balmoral

Hia arrival at Cove was followed by Caley Thistle midfielder Chalmers on a loan deal until January.

The 32-year-old has made 136 appearances for Caley Thistle over two spells at the club.

He played an important role in the club’s League One title win last season, making 38 appearances across all competitions.

Chalmers began his career at Celtic and represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-19, under-20 and under-21 level.

Along with Caley Thistle, Chalmers has had spells at Falkirk (loan), Motherwell, Ross County, Ayr United and Dunfermline.

[Source: Press and Journal]