According to the Scottish Sun, four SPFL sides are chasing Aberdeen striker Stevie May. Derek McInnes recently confirmed to them that the Dons will listen to offers for the striker.
Both Dundee United and Dundee are reportedly interested, whilst St Johnstone and St Mirren are the other two sides credited with wanting the Dons forward.
May looks likely to leave Pittodrie this summer. (Photo by Scott Baxter/Getty Images)
If any of these teams are thinking of playing formations that aren’t 4-4-2 with May, they shouldn’t even bother trying to sign him.
May suits Dundee or Dundee United on that basis, Aberdeen could work also
There’s no denying that May has been poor in front of goal since returning to Scotland. He has netted eight times in 75 Red Army appearances, however, there have been times where he has shown how good he can be.
Alongside Sam Cosgrove last season as a front two, May played his best stuff. He was able to do all the leg work for Cosgrove, who would feed off what May could provide.
Cosgrove and May are great together. (Photo by Scott Baxter/Getty Images)
It brought about a spell where May contributed two goals and two assists in five league games. He finished the campaign with two goals and four assists, with the one striker option not favouring May’s style of play.
If the reported sides that are interested in him want an effective May, they need to play 4-4-2. If given the time to prove himself, the partnership of Cosgrove and May could still work at Aberdeen, although that looks unlikely.
Of the four reported options available, Dundee United are probably the best fit, followed closely by their neighbours Dundee. May would be brilliant at Championship level.
May would flourish in a 4-4-2. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
Both Tayside clubs have poachers and clinical finishers in Lawrence Shankland and Andrew Nelson respectively. Putting May alongside either of them in a front two would allow May to win everything in the air, win the physical battles and make life easier for his arguably more clinical strike partner.
May is a good player, but you need to play him in the correct position and in the correct manner. He should be used as supporting forward in a 4-4-2 formation for the best chance of success, wherever he plays this term.