Mark McGhee is set to return to Aberdeen as successor to Jimmy Calderwood after the Motherwell manager agreed terms at Pittodrie.

The two clubs are expected to finalise compensation for the move which brings McGhee back to the club where he scored 63 goals in 164 appearances between 1978 and 1984 under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson.

McGhee was initially made favourite for the Celtic manager's job after the departing Gordon Strachan recommended him to the board but when the Bhoys turned their attentions to West Brom manager Tony Mowbray, Aberdeen made their move.

The 52-year-old began his managerial career with Reading in 1991, before spells at Wolves, Leicester, Millwall and Brighton.

McGhee was fired by the Seagulls following relegation from the Championship in 2006 but immediately became one of the hottest properties in Scottish management when he led Motherwell to third in the SPL in his first season.

He turned down the opportunity to take over at Hearts last summer but after Motherwell in the Uefa Cup first round to AS Nancy and finishing seventh in the SPL, he decided it was time to move on.

"Last year it would have been wrong to leave Motherwell to go to Hearts," said McGhee, "But Aberdeen represents a different challenge - there is sentimentality involved for me, a bit of romance to that job.

"This is an opportunity to manage a club where I had fantastic success and memories as a player."