Source: Team_Talk
McArdle signs up, Grassi departs
Rory McArdle has put pen to paper on his new contract with Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Thursday - but Davide Grassi has left the club.[LNB] The 23-year-old defender became manager Mark McGhee's first signing of the summer after agreeing a pre-contract agreement with the Dons in May.[LNB]McArdle recently won two caps with Northern Ireland, making his international debut against Turkey in Santiago during their summer tour.[LNB]Speaking earlier in the summer, McGhee told the club's official website that he was delighted to capture the player.[LNB]"Rory McArdle represents the type of signings we are trying to make," he said.[LNB]"I want players who are going to improve the squad, are going to be good enough for the SPL but have a little bit of potential about them, some improvement in them.[LNB]"He is not the finished article and we don't know how good Rory will go on to become.[LNB]"He has just broken into the Northern Ireland international team so there is a little bit of development there as well which is good as we don't just want to be bringing in players who have done it, seen it and maybe lack the hunger we need. I think it is an exciting signing in that sense.[LNB]"Everything we heard about him was positive and from what we saw of him thought he was good enough to join us.[LNB]"In the present market we think we have done really well to sign an international player."[LNB]Meanwhile, defender Grassi has left Aberdeen after signing a deal with an unnamed Italian club.[LNB]The 24-year-old Italian had been offered a six-month deal but was holding out for a longer stay.[LNB]A spokesman told Aberdeen's website: "Given it is his homeland, his decision is understandable."[LNB]Grassi, who began his career with Parma before spells with Cattolica, Bonifika, Mrida and Sant Andreu, joined Aberdeen last summer.[LNB]The defender suffered a triple cheekbone fracture in September but played on with a protective mask.[LNB]Manager Mark McGhee admitted that it was only Grassi's form in the latter stages of the season that persuaded him to offer the six-month deal.
