The £23m Aberdeen transfer chasm that exposes myth of 7 years under Dave Cormack

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack's seven-year tenure has seen seven managerial changes and a net transfer outflow of £23m, undermining promises to compete with Celtic and Rangers.

Dave Cormack took control of Aberdeen in November 2019 with ambitious plans to give the club financial muscle to challenge Celtic and Rangers, backed by a £5m investment and a tie-in with MLS side Atlanta United. However, the masterplan has not materialised.

Stephen Robinson has become the seventh manager to leave Pittodrie under Cormack's ownership, following Derek McInnes, Stephen Glass, Jim Goodwin, Neil Warnock, Barry Robson and Jimmy Thelin. The club now faces a relegation battle after another summer of squad rebuilding.

Record Sport's analysis of transfer activity across Cormack's tenure reveals a significant net outflow. While the chairman has been willing to spend on incoming players, the club has generated substantial revenue from player sales—including Scott McKenna's £6m move to Nottingham Forest (with add-ons), Sam Cosgrove's £2m sale to Birmingham City, and Scott Wright's departure to Rangers.

However, these sales have not been matched by successful squad building, leaving Aberdeen struggling to compete at the top of the Scottish Premiership.