Calderwood has been told he will have money to spend

Aberdeen have assured manager Jimmy Calderwood and Dons' supporters that the club will bolster the squad in time for next season.

After agreeing a two-year shirt sponsorship deal with Team Recruitment, Dons managing director Duncan Fraser said the team would be strengthened.

"We're investing £1m more in the football budget than when Jimmy arrived in 2004," he said.

The Dons finished fourth in the SPL last season.

Aberdeen profited from a Uefa Cup run which included games against Bayern Munich and FC Copenhagen.

But they crashed out of the semi-finals of the CIS Cup and Scottish Cup against Dundee United and Queen of the South, respectively.

Bosmans shouldn't be seen as free transfers - there's generally a bit of cash involved Aberdeen managing director Duncan Fraser

And Calderwood was concerned that the cup exits could impact on his transfer budget for next season.

However, Fraser said the club were determined to improve the playing squad.

"We always look at ways and means of strengthening the squad," he said.

"We can see for the foreseeable future that sort of money being ploughed back into the product."

Fraser also said Dons fans should not think that signing players who do not command a transfer fee was not a sign of a lack of ambition.

"If a player is out of contract and is coming as a 'Bosman', the player has expectation levels of what a club would get for him if he was under contract," he said.

"So, Bosmans should not be seen as free transfers. There is generally quite a bit of cash involved in those deals as well."