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Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is certain midfielder Fraser Fyvie will leave Pittodrie this year.

The 18-year-old, who has made more than 50 first team appearances despite a cruciate ligament injury disrupting his progress, has told Brown he will not extend his contract after rejecting an initial offer.

Aberdeen would receive compensation should Fyvie depart at the end of his contract in December but will listen to offers for the player in the summer, with Brown explaining he was joking when referring to a £5million bid earlier this week.

Brown, whose side host Queen of the South in the William Hill Scottish Cup tomorrow, said: "At no time has Fraser Fyvie mentioned money but he has said he would like to pursue his career in England.

"He has been honest about it and I don't think he would be disposed to stay in Scotland.

"I respect what he says - he wants to play at the highest level and that is in England."

Brown, who lost teenager Jack Grimmer to Fulham last month, added: "He is very single-minded and, although I think he is a bit premature going before he has established himself, that is my opinion, that doesn't matter to him.

"I predict he'll sign a pre-contract in the summer and will leave in December.

"He's had a hard time, Fyvie, and if I were his agent, I would say wait a little while longer.

"But young lads nowadays want to be superstars early, and he might well be. That's his decision and we've just got to accept it."

Brown's immediate concern is First Division Queen of the South, who delivered arguably the most damaging of a series of cup shocks Aberdeen have suffered in recent years, with a 4-3 semi-final win in the 2008 competition.

The latest upset was a home defeat by East Fife in the Scottish Communities League Cup in September but striker Rory Fallon insists the Dons are now a different prospect after going six games unbeaten.

The summer signing told RedTV: "From the time I got here to now, we have come on leaps and bounds.

"We have added to the squad and are more confident and are grinding out wins whereas before we were losing them.

"It's a totally different team from that game to now.

"A lot of lads are doing really well and confidence is a massive thing. When you go to Rangers and get a draw, you then start to look to win against them, and it breeds confidence in the dressing room."

Brown boosted his squad considerably in January by bringing in defenders Mark Reynolds and Russell Anderson, midfielders Stephen Hughes and Gavin Rae, plus striker Daniel Uchechi, although only Hughes and Reynolds are definitely available tomorrow.

Fallon said: "They are all quite battle-hardened so they know what it's all about. You can't put a price on experience.

"It's good to have a balance. When I first came here I think it was a bit too young, but you don't want it to be too old."

Fallon added: "We definitely can't underestimate them. I have been in small teams and big teams and you get upsets.

"Football is like that - when you take your foot off the accelerator, you get punished.

"We have all been through that - losing to smaller teams. We have got to tuck this one away."

Uchechi has picked up a knock in training and could miss the game while Rae is cup-tied and Anderson is on an injury list that also includes Youl Mawene, Rob Milsom, Isaac Osbourne, Yoann Folly and Peter Pawlett.