Peter Pawlett will swap Dons for Dons this summer

Peter Pawlett will join MK Dons in the summer

The 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a two-year-deal, with his current contract at Pittordrie up at the end of the season.

Speaking on Wednesday, Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes understood the deal was done with Robbie Neilson's side, saying: "It’s been indicated that Peter will probably sign a pre-contract with MK Dons, something we’ve aware of for the last couple of weeks.

“We made Peter a good offer but he’s indicated that going to England is something he’s always wanted to do.”

And on Thursday, Neilson himself confirmed the deal for the midfielder was complete.

"We've been speaking to Peter for the last week or two," he said. "We've managed to get things tied up and we're looking forward to getting him down here. He's ahad a really good career at a really high level, European football, Cup finals - he just feels it's time to make that next step and hopefully we can offer him that.

"He's direct, quick and makes things happen, he can break on the counter attack. He's the type of player I think we need here. Hopefully he can replicate what he's done at Aberdeen."

Pawlett follows in the footsteps of his new manager, switching the Scottish top flight for League 1.

Neilson added: "There are a lot of big teams in this league. it's a great platform for players to come down, play well and progress. The facilities here are great, it's a good lifestyle, it's a bit more diverse. In Scotland, you play the same team six or eight times a season.

"There's a freshness down here, and it's attractive for players to come down and make the next step in their careers."

Pawlett's arrival could mean the end of Ben Reeves' time at MK Dons. Northern Ireland international Reeves is also out of contract at the end of the season but was rumoured to have drawn interest from former boss Karl Robinson, now at Charlton Athletic. Like Pawlett, Reeves is free to speak to other clubs.

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