He made his full debut for Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon

Preston North End summer signing Jeppe Okkels played 79 minutes on debut for Aberdeen.

The Dane was thrust straight into the Dons starting XI for the Scottish Premiership clash at home to Hearts on Sunday. It finished 0-0 at the Pittodrie Stadium with the visitors seeing a Jorge Grant penalty saved in the 93rd minute of the match.

Okkels signed on loan for the Scottish club last Monday with Aberdeen inserting an option-to-buy - understood to be in excess of £1million - in the agreement. Manager Jimmy Thelin - who coached Okkels at Elfsborg - explained pre-match his decision to hand the winger a first start.

Wearing number 16 the wide man operated on the left in a 4-2-3-1 shape. He struggled to get into the game with any kind of regularity though, seeing just 27 touches of the ball and completing 24 passes - one of which went down as ‘key’.

While Okkels saw precious little of the ball his pass completion was the highest of those to start the game, at 92 per cent. His touch, awareness and care in possession was one minor positive from a low quality match he ultimately struggled to impact.

The 25-year-old has played very little football over the last 12 months - five substitute appearances at FC Utrecht and only 306 minutes of football for Preston. That was evident on the day so getting up to match speed and sharpness, for a manager he has succeeded under before, will be vital.

During the encounter, which was broadcast on Sky Sports, co-commentator Chris Sutton did not hold back with his thoughts on Okkels. In the first half he described him as ‘miles off it’ and went a step further in the second half, arguing that Aberdeen were ‘basically playing with a man down’.

Despite that brutal analysis, PNE boss Paul Heckingbottom has high hopes for his player at the Pittodrie Stadium. Okkels cost North End a reported £1.7million in the summer and Preston’s boss thinks he can thrive, working with Thelin once again.

Heckingbottom told the Lancashire Post last week: “It's always tough to move and adjust. A different style of football, different country and I think for him as well, he literally signed and the manager's gone who signed him and someone else is coming in. ‘Does this man want me?’ All these things. So, yes, he's had a real difficult start.

“But a really good guy... not a moment's bother, really popular in the dressing room. So, yes, we'd love him to do really well there. I think one good thing about him going there as well is that the manager who played a certain system with him in the team, wants him and wants him to perform that exact same way. So, if he's going to get the best chance to be successful, he should do with this loan.

“He did very well before, went to Holland, in and out. He would have probably preferred a more successful season. So, he's got a move here. It's a tough industry and a tough sport. I mentioned before about dealing with adversity and stuff. He's had a lot of things thrown at him all in one go there. I think a bit of familiarity will do him the world of good and hopefully us.”