Shinnie opens up on Aberdeen exit and moving 'home' with Inverness

Graeme Shinnie admitted there were "maybe not as many negotiations" as he would've liked about his Aberdeen future, but described his summer return to Inverness Caledonian Thistle as "a real positive". Shinnie, who captained the Dons to Scottish Cup glory in 2025, made the move north on the expiry of his deal at Pittodrie. The 35 year-old, who played 344 times over two spells at Aberdeen, had been offered a two-year contract extension to stay in the Granite City, one which also included a pathway into coaching. "There were negotiations and things that went on with Aberdeen - maybe not as many negotiations as I would have liked but that is the way it goes," Shinnie said. "Seeing what has been done at Aberdeen and the amount of players that have come in, I think the manager wanted his own players there and that is fine, that is the way football goes. "That was just the way it was there. There's been a huge turnover of players, especially the players that seemed to be there before." Aberdeen have added 11 new players over the summer in new boss Stephen Robinson's first transfer window in charge. There have been 13 departures, in addition to German midfielder Dennis Geiger returning to Hoffenheim at the end of his loan. "The start of the season for Aberdeen, I think there was a full different [starting] 11 from the first game of the season before," Shinnie pointed out. "The manager [Robinson] wanted his own players in, he had his own vision of what he wanted and things just didn't work out in the talks between me and the club." Instead, Shinnie returned north to Inverness - the club he started his pro career at, and the side he left 11 years ago to join Aberdeen initially. "On the flip side of that is Inverness that were desperate to take me," Shinnie added. "I had real positivity up here. "I was told I was going to play a lot of games and be a key part of the team, and my family are based up in Nairn. That's home back here, so living back home was exciting as well. "This was the move that ended up happening and a real positive one for me." The former Scotland cap is loving life back at Caley Thistle, who only exited administration last year before going on to win League One. They've drawn their opening two games in the Championship and, after topping their League Cup group, face Hearts in the last 16 on Sunday. "I've loved it , I think I have played every game and every minute. I still feel like I can do that, I still feel I have got that in me. I still feel like I have got a lot to offer."