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Diamond (left) and Nicholson have been offered new contracts

Aberdeen have set a Monday deadline to hear if Zander Diamond, Michael Hart, Chris Clark and Barry Nicholson intend to take up the offer of new contracts.

The quartet are free to negotiate with other clubs, with their current deals set to expire at the end of the season.

Manager Jimmy Calderwood's own future is also under scrutiny.

"Nothing is certain," Calderwood told the P&J. "My own contract situation is no nearer to being resolved and we are not that far down the road."

Calderwood, now in his fourth season at Pittodrie, will be out of contract in the summer.

"The situation is I am waiting for the club to get back to me," he added.

"But it is wrong for people to jump to a conclusion where negotiations with the players and the club, and my own talks about a new contract, are linked."

The club are anxious to keep Calderwood at the helm and managing director Duncan Fraser said: "If Jimmy is on the verge of quitting I've not been made aware of it.

"An offer is on the table and it is now a case of whether the manager will accept it or not."

Meanwhile, Aberdeen will this week give a trial to out-of-favour De Graafschap defender Dave Bus.

Former Charlton Athletic centre-half Jonathan Kurrant has left the club after only six months by mutual consent.