The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer and the Major League Soccer club have told Aberdeen they wish to speak to the Scotland winger.

McInnes says Mackay-Steven - who signed from Celtic in July 2017 - is "clever enough to see the benefits of staying".

"Gary assures me it was nothing he was aware of," McInnes told BBC Scotland.

"And he's given me his word that we are very much still in the running for him to stay beyond this season.

"What we've asked Gary, and asked him to reiterate this morning, is 'have we still got an opportunity to have you here next season?' and he said 'absolutely'."

Mackay-Steven, who was with Liverpool and Fulham as a youth and has two Scotland caps, joined Aberdeen from Celtic, where he failed to establish himself after his switch from Dundee United.

"We have created an environment for him to perform at his best," McInnes added.

"He's been great for me and I still think there's more to come from him, but what we've given him is the platform to get himself back to being a key player, back to being a relevant player, back in the international set-up."