Robinson, meanwhile, led St Mirren to their second cup semi-final of the season on Sunday as the Paisley side defeated Partick Thistle having already gone on to lift the League Cup with a victory over league champions Celtic in November.

He led the Buddies to top-six finishes in his previous three seasons, although they currently sit 10th, one place and five points below Aberdeen, just three ahead of Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.

The news of Aberdeen’s approach comes just over a week after chairman Dave Cormack confirmed that former Mainz, Hertha Berlin and Dinamo Moscow head coach Sandro Schwarz, who recently left New York Red Bulls, was in the city for talks about the vacancy.

However, Cormack stressed that the German was only one of several candidates.

Last month, Eirik Horneland also emerged as a leading candidate after his departure from French Ligue 2 club Saint-Etienne.

However, the former Brann and Rosenborg head coach was subsequently quoted as saying he would not be taking up another post until at least the end of the season.

Former Northern Ireland midfielder Robinson began his managerial career with his country’s national youth set-up before spells in charge of Oldham Athletic, Motherwell and Morecambe.

He has tasted more success in Scotland than in England and has a 33.5% win rate with St Mirren, although that is less than the 42% he achieved with Motherwell, who he led to both cup finals in 2017-18, when they lost to Celtic both times.