Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin reacts to St Johnstone talks with Peter Leven

Aberdeen will not stand in Peter Leven’s way if St Johnstone choose to appoint him as their next manager and he chooses to go.

Dons’ boss, Jimmy Thelin, has confirmed that the Pittodrie club have allowed Saints and Leven to open discussions about him replacing Craig Levein at McDiarmid Park.

And they will not block his path to Perth should the highly-rated coach end up as Adam Webb’s favoured candidate.

“Peter has permission to talk to them,” said Thelin.

“He is a good coach and it’s good that our staff have eyes on them.

“After that, it will be up to Peter what he wants to do.

“Always if you lose staff and players you would miss them, of course, and you’d have to find solutions for the future.

“But when good people do good things they get eyes on them.

“So far so good, he is focusing here and helping us prepare for our game tomorrow.

“We want him to stay here but it is good he is getting this recognition from another club.”

Leven would have to weigh up the job security he’s got at Aberdeen and the close relationship he’s already developed with Thelin against the opportunity to be a Premiership number one.

Northern Irish title-winning Larne boss, Tiernan Lynch, and a manager working in Europe are also in the running, with Scott Brown having committed his future to Ayr United.