Aberdeen has made a significant addition to their squad by acquiring 18-year-old Icelandic midfielder Kjartan Mar Kjartansson from Stjarnan. The young talent, who has already amassed 58 appearances for Stjarnan’s first team, has signed a four-year contract with the Scottish Premiership club.

Kjartansson made his professional debut at just 16 years old and has since become a key player for both Stjarnan and the Icelandic youth national teams. His impressive performances have attracted attention from several top clubs, but Aberdeen managed to secure his signature.

Jimmy Thelin, Aberdeen’s manager, expressed his excitement about the signing:

"For a player still so young, he has played an impressive volume of minutes for the first team and the Icelandic youth international squads. He is a very exciting talent, but we also know we need to work with him to develop further and he will take time to adapt to a new club, a new league, and a new country."

Thelin emphasized the importance of patience and nurturing Kjartansson’s potential:

"We must be patient. We must nurture him and, at times, we must protect him to ensure we are able to realize his significant potential."

Aberdeen’s scouting department has been monitoring Kjartansson’s progress for some time, and his defensive acumen and positional awareness stood out. Thelin added:

"He has a very good defensive and positional mind for the game. He has performed well for Stjarnan when winning possession back for his team, makes key interceptions, and protects the team in transition – all the qualities we look for at the base of our midfield, and it's impressive when you consider his age."

In the current season, Kjartansson has started eight of Stjarnan’s 13 games in the Besta deild karla, with one substitute appearance. Stjarnan currently sits fourth in the league, matching their position from the previous season.

Kjartansson shared his enthusiasm about joining Aberdeen:

"It's an amazing feeling to sign for such a big club. Aberdeen is a big club in Iceland – we know the history with the European cups, so it was an easy decision to come here. It's a good move for this stage in my career, and I think the Scottish game will suit my style of play."

This signing coincides with Aberdeen’s announcement of a revamped youth academy strategy, which aims to attract talented teenagers from across Scotland and internationally. The club is determined to be more aggressive in securing young talent and developing them into future stars.