Adegboyega open to extended Dundee United stay
On-loan Norwich City defender Emmanuel Adegboyega, 21, would be open to another spell at Dundee United. (Record), externalRead Saturday's Scottish gossip
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The Courier
2 hours ago
- The Courier
6 top Dundee United transfer window priorities as major Tannadice rebuild begins
The starter's pistol has been fired. Dundee United's summer business has started in earnest. A waspish goal-getter from Down Under, Zac Sapsford. A mountainous young centre-back who is fond of a crunching tackle, Iurie Iovu. Two down, plenty to go. United hope to have another three or four captures in the door by the time pre-season begins. More by the time the competitive action begins on July 24. But while there is an urgency about the Tangerines' business – and plenty of plates being spun – there is also an internal appreciation that a lengthy window lies ahead. After all, the man who fired them to Europe last season, Sam Dalby, didn't arrive until the last knockings of the summer transfer window. Here, Courier Sport profiles the top priorities in the coming weeks – focusing on the most pressing issues (rather than areas where depth and competition are required, such as full-back). Dave Richards, solid in the final two games of the Premiership season, has made no secret of his desire to cling on to the No.1 berth. Already a hugely influential, popular figure in the dressing room, that is a laudable aim. And who is to say he won't grab the gloves for keeps? However, it would be churlish to ignore the fact that the genial Welshman has played just over 100 first-team games in his entire career and spent most of last term as understudy to Jack Walton. Courier Sport understands Scotland U/21 international Ruairidh Adams is set to sign an extended deal with United but he is one for the future. Jim Goodwin will want another goalkeeper to challenge for jersey and ensure competition and standards remain sky-high, just as they were last season. Pedigree and reliability will be key. And it is pivotal the Tangerines get it right. The lessons of errant recruitment between the sticks remains writ large in the memories of 2022/23. Iovu is in the door. But the Terrors need another. A stopper. Declan Gallagher, Kevin Holt and Emmanuel Adegboyega have all left the club in the last six months. Iovu – capped four times for Moldova at the age of 22 – appears to be a player of some promise but he does little to fill the void of experience left by those departures. Iovu, Sam Cleall-Harding and Ross Graham represent a relatively youthful pool of centre-backs – albeit the latter is now 24 years of age and boasts a maturity beyond even that. At least one streetwise, quality defender would be a welcome addition. Former St Johnstone loan ace Zach Mitchell is not currently an active target. The departure of Ross Docherty raised a few eyebrows, while seeing the likes of Allan Campbell, David Babunski and Lewis Fiorini exit was more predictable. Luca Stephenson has also gone – for now. Richard Odada? Who knows what the future holds for him after a miserable first season at Tannadice. He has another year to run on his deal. As such, there is a fair bit of rebuilding to be done to a sparsely populated engine room which only contains Vicko Sevelj and Craig Sibbald as experienced, proven options. Although technical attributes are valued (Goodwin wants players who can use the ball when in possession), United are keen to bring mobility and physicality to the centre of the park. This is perhaps the area where there is the biggest room for improvement compared to the recruitment of last season. Campbell, Odada, Fiorini and Babunski were all disappointing to some degree, although the latter did contribute to United's success. The Terrors are understood to be close to securing reinforcements in this area. Courier Sport understands that United have been in talks with Liverpool as recently as this week regarding the future of Stephenson. The player would be open to returning; the Reds were delighted with his progress in Scotland. However, with just a year left on his deal with Anfield, there is lingering uncertainty regarding whether he will pen a new deal and be made available for loan again – or told to seek a permanent move. The ball is in the court of the English champions. And from their perspective, there is no rush. English clubs return to training well after Scottish teams, while the player is currently on holiday in Greece. Contrary to some suggestions online, no announcement is imminent regarding his signing. But he is very much a live target. A little patience may be required. Glenn Middleton has departed, Meshack Ubochioma looks to be out of the picture and Kai Fotheringham was rarely utilised last term. That leaves Kristijan Trapanovski, who is an undoubted talent but needs to combine his natural talent with more consistency and robustness. Finnish flyer Juho Talvitie will not be arriving the Tangerines despite some reports crediting United with an interest in the Lommel winger; he is joining NAC Breda in the Eredivisie. The Tannadice outfit made a tentative enquiry earlier this summer, but it went no further than that. However, a wide man could be secured by next week as United continue to whittle down their shortlist to the top, viable targets. Ultimately, two wingers could be required, albeit new signing Sapsworth operated as a wide player in a front-three on numerous occasions for Western Sydney Wanderers. While keen to bring pace and width to the side, it is understood that Goodwin also wants players who can cut inside, get shots away and attack the penalty box. Sapsworth boasts a decent scoring record in Australia and arrives at Tannadice on the back of his most prolific A-League campaign – nine goals and four assists in 26 outings. However, he has not always been deployed as an orthodox striker and doesn't fit the profile of a successor to 15-goal Dalby, who joined Bolton Wanderers on a four-year deal earlier this week. He is more akin to Ruari Paton, if considering like-for-like replacements compared to last season's squad. Owen Stirton will be given every opportunity to cement his place in the United first-team group in pre-season, while Jort van der Sande remains on the books. However, a 'traditional', experienced No.9 – who can combine physicality with an eye for goal – is a notable void in Goodwin's squad. And it is the hardest assignment of the lot. There's nary a club in Scotland not looking for the same thing.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Nilson Angulo breaks silence on Celtic transfer interest
The Scottish champions have been linked with a move for the talented winger who enjoyed a breakthrough season in Belgium. Angulo helped Ecuador qualify for the World Cup next year after they managed two goalless draws against Brazil and Peru to reach the Finals. And he was quizzed about Celtic's reported interest in his homeland. He said: "I'm focused on Anderlecht, I want to get back there and we'll see what happens. "Next season, I need to improve on small details, like my finishing and as I play more matches for Anderlecht and my national team, I'll improve. Read more: "I'm really happy with what we've achieved and very proud of the group. We're prepared and focused on the World Cup. "The Ecuadorian people deserve this more than anyone else, and I'm very happy about that. "I feel very good about my performances and I feel proud of each of my teammates."
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Two World Cup winners, club record signing and a future boss in £35m splurge – Rangers' biggest transfer window
It was a huge summer of change at Ibrox 27 years ago with Dick Advocaat embarking on a major spending spree Russell Martin is still to make his first signing as Rangers manager and fans are eager to see what kind of quality will come through the door at Ibrox this summer. But imagine the Light Blues recruited a couple of World Cup winners, broke their club record fee and signed a host of international stars? It's a scenario Martin could only dream of given it's changed days at Rangers - but that was very much the reality in the summer of 1998. The Martin revolution will be much lower key than 27 years ago when Dick Advocaat arrived for a revolution not seen down Edmiston Drive since Graeme Souness changed the face of Scottish football just over a decade earlier. It came on the back of the club's first trophyless season in since the campaign before Souness arrived, with Walter Smith stepping down to be replaced by the Dutchman. David Murray opened his cheque book to sign off on the kind of spending spree that would eventually see the club's financial collapse. Almost £35million was spent that season in the days before there was a transfer window. First in was Advocaat's trusted captain at his former club PSV Eindhoven, Arthur Numan (£5m), who only missed out on a place at the World Cup final in France weeks earlier on penalties after a shoot-out defeat to Brazil. Giovanni van Bronckhorst shared a dressing room room with him during the tournament and joined him at Ibrox for the same fee - with flop Peter van Vossen thrown into the deal that brought him from Feyenoord. Rangers made a profit on classy midfielder van Bronckhorst when he was later sold to Arsenal and he of course returned as boss recently. Advocaat revealed the white boots of Gabriel Amato first caught his attention while playing for Real Mallorca and the Argentinian's skills saw him stand out at Rangers but he wasn't used enough to justify his fee (£4.2m). After continually being linked with a move to Rangers, Andrei Kanchelskis (£5.5) finally arrived at Ibrox and it was a then club record fee that brought him from Fiorentina. Andy Goram left big gloves to fill but Lionel Charbonnier (£1.2m) had a World Cup winners' gong in his luggage when he touched down in Glasgow. The eccentric Frenchman was joined later that season by Stephane Guivarc'h (£3.5m) from Newcastle United who was also in that triumphant Les Bleus squad. Yet for all the big money spent that summer, it was perhaps a free transfer who proved the best piece of business - Rod Wallace signing from Leeds United for nothing. The same couldn't be said of the late Daniel Prodan (£2.2m) who never played a first team game with the Romanian's rushed medical a harsh lesson with the defender plagued by a knee injury. Article continues below Murray was keen to keep a Scottish identity amid the influx of foreigners and who better than Braveheart himself? Colin Hendry (£4m) was Scotland captain, having led the nation at the World Cup in France. Neil McCann (£1.2m) added to the tartan contingent when he signed from Hearts in the winter alongside Stefan Klos (£700,000) who went on to become one of Rangers' greatest ever keepers. And even as the Light Blues closed in on a domestic treble that season, they continued to splash the cash with Claudio Reyna (£1.2m) signing from Wolfsburg, Craig Moore (£1m) returning to the club after a brief spell at Crystal Palace and youngster Lee Feeney (£100,000) from Linfield.
