Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass admits he has his players under a “microscope” as he evaluates his squad ahead of the close season.

Glass saw his promising start to life at Pittodrie undone by a 3-0 home Scottish Cup defeat against Dundee United last weekend.

The recently-appointed Dons boss has already signed up Celtic skipper Scott Brown for next season and the last three Scottish Premiership games of this campaign could be crucial for a number of players’ futures.

Aberdeen face Livingston away on Saturday aiming to give themselves a chance of catching third-placed Hibernian, who they host in the penultimate game.

On the assessment of his squad, Glass said: “There is a lot that goes into it – the reaction to the result and also what contributes to the result in the first place.

“There is a constant evaluation going on right now which there is a lot of people involved in.

“As a coaching staff we are looking under a microscope almost at the players in terms of their behaviour – how can they play, how can they handle things, and with the way we want to do things, can these guys be part of it?”

One player who is set to be involved next season is Ryan Hedges, who could make his comeback from a chest injury in West Lothian following three months out.

“Ryan is getting very close,” Glass said. “I don’t want to guarantee he will be available for the weekend but I am very, very hopeful he will be.

“He has looked good in training but with the amount of time he has been out, you have to be careful of how he reacts. That’s a day-by-day issue.

“He is a player that is going to really add to the group, almost like a new signing for us next year, because he missed a huge chunk of the season.”