ANDREW CONSIDINE is in no doubt that his Aberdeen team-mate Sam Cosgrove ranks alongside other top Premiership strikers like Alfredo Morelos of Rangers and Celtic's Leigh Griffiths.

Cosgrove’s scoring exploits – 25 strikes in his last 32 games – has put him on the radar of clubs south of the border, doubly keen on him because, at the age of 22, they will see the development opportunities in him.

It also means that Hearts, visitors to Pittodrie tomorrow, will be focused on how to restrain the 6ft 4ins centre-forward, plucked from Carlisle United for £25,000 in the January sales of 2018, especially after his stunning hat-trick in Aberdeen's 5-0 drubbing of Chikhura Sachkhere in their Europa League qualifier on Thursday night.

Considine, as consistent a performer as there is in the Aberdeen squad, points to Cosgrove’s youth and his dramatic improvement in recent months and suggests it is only a matter of time until the scouts from English football will require seats in Pittodrie’s main stand.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Hearts owner Ann Budge sets manager Craig Levein European target

“His record is comparable to the likes of what Morelos and Griffiths have produced in recent seasons,” the defender said. “To have a young lad at Aberdeen doing that is fantastic and a lot of that goes down to the manager [Derek McInnes] and [assistant manager] Tony Docherty, who spent umpteen hours after training doing shooting with him.

“Sam gets a lot of flak and you question if some of these critics even know anything about football! He has been outstanding for us and he is really improving.

Hearts may be uppermost in the minds of McInnes’ men, but a trip to Croatia for the first leg of the Europa League’s third round qualifier against HNK Rijeka on Thursday awaits, with the group stage looming closer.

“In Europe, the game is always played on the ground,” Considine said. “It is very rarely the ball is kicked long. We have the boys who can play football, guys like Ryan Hedges. And big Sam is also great with his feet as well. It is very encouraging because next week will be even tougher.”

Also in the background is the potential loss to English football of Scott McKenna, Considine’s central defensive partner against the Georgia side on Thursday, who has been the subject of recent £3m bids from Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest, the latter suggesting they will return with an improved offer before the deadline this week.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Neil Lennon: Celtic are going for 15 titles in a row

“It would be great, ideally, if he was on the plane to Croatia with us,” Considine said. “Big Scott has been our biggest performer since he came into the first team. He is a man-mountain of a guy and a very good footballer, as he has proved. He can score goals and you don’t captain your country if you are not doing something right. It has been great to have him in the team and play alongside him but if he is not here next week then I will wish him all the best.

“He is a lovely lad, who deserves to go down south to the best teams and I know he will kick on. He is already established at international level and he will get 60 or 70 caps.”