Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen F.C. officially has announced the signing of the Latvian National team captain Kristers Tobers. Tobers is coming over from the Swiss Super League club Grasshoppers. The defender has signed a 3.5-year contract with the Dons.
Aberdeen, currently in fourth place in the Premiership, was seeking replacements for their injured players. Swedish manager Jimmy Thelin indicated that transfers are forthcoming, and it all pointed to Kristers Tobers as a key target for him and the recently appointed head of recruitment.
The 24-year-old Tobers initial contract with Grasshoppers was set to expire at the end of this season, although there was an option for a further year, but with Aberdeen’s interest, he was viewed as a player the Swiss club might be willing to sell. This season, the center-half—who can also play as a defensive midfielder—has made ten appearances in the Swiss Super League, scoring one goal.
Kristers Tobers new club had a strong start to the season under manager Thelin, who was appointed on a three-year deal effective June 2024. Thelin’s debut was impressive, remaining unbeaten in 16 consecutive games, which included 13 wins in a row.
Recently, the Scottish side’s performance has dipped – with the last win coming almost two months ago on 9th November. however, they remain in fourth place, just six points behind rivals, the Glasgow Rangers, and are tied on points with Dundee United, currently third. A third-place finish at the end of the season would qualify Aberdeen for the UEFA Europa League qualifying play-off stage.
Not The Old Firm previously reported that Aberdeen has offered €850,000 for the 37-time capped Latvian international. Yesterday, Sky Sports Scottish reporter Anthony Joseph tweeted that the deal was agreed upon for a transfer fee of around €960 000. Today, Kristers flew for his medical and signed a contract with Aberdeen.
In terms of recruitment, Tobers fits nicely into the club’s transfer strategy – a European player from a non-top football nation or league. They recently signed Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov for an undisclosed fee from St. Johnstone and current Montenegro international center-back Slobodan Rubezic, acquired this summer from the Serbian league for over €200,000. Additionally, they brought in Norwegian midfielder Nilsen from Brann for nearly half a million, Slovenian forward Ester Sokler for €450,000 from a Slovenian league club, and Thelin’s record signing this summer, Finnish winger Topi Keskinen, purchased for €1 000 000 from Finnish side HJK. The winter transfer window opened with Thelin signing Danish winger Jeppe Okkels on loan from English Championship side Preston, and now Tobers is the second newcomer.
The new manager has financial backing, as the club made a record sale this summer. North Macedonian international Bojan Miovski, signed for €650,000 in 2022 from Hungarian side MTK Budapest, was sold two seasons later for €6.5 million to La Liga side Girona.
Kristers Tobers will become the fourth Latvian player to play in the Scottish Premiership – Antons Kurakins back in 2015/16 season made 36 appearances for Hamilton Academical, Pāvels Mihadjuks in 2009 and 2010 played in 15 total games for Inverness and Dundee United, while recently retired Vitalijs Maksimenko made eight appearances for Kilmnarock FC while on loan from Brighton in 2014.
Before moving to Grasshopper the Latvian National team captain played for the Polish Ekstraklasa side Lechia Gdansk and back home in Latvia for FK Liepaja.