Dundee

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Steven Pressley is "calm" about Dundee's transfer business as the Dens Park club get set to start their competitive season.

Pressley's side open their Premier Sports Cup group campaign at home to Airdrieonians on Saturday and have recruited Zan Besier, Owen Bevan, Ryan Finnigan and Idris Odutayo so far.

"There's a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we're very calm about the situation," said Pressley.

"We were in a very similar situation last season and we managed to bring in some really good players in the latter stages of the window.

"Sometimes you need to know where you are in the food chain, and as a result of that, show a little bit more patience. If you adopt that strategy, then often you can get the players that you really want."

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Owen Bevan is eager to "perform" after joining Dundee on a two-year contract, with the option of a further year.

The defender, 22, leaves Bournemouth, who had loaned him out to three different clubs, including Hibernian.

"There were lots of reasons to come here," Bevan told Dundee club media.

"I saw during my trial period that there are lots of good people here. The manager was a big driving factor for coming, I like the way he works, I like the football he wants to play and I think it suits me. I think it'll bring the best out of me.

"I want to perform here. I want to show people that I can step up a level at this club and I can't wait to get started."

Bevan has made 47 senior appearances.

And manager Steven Pressley said: "Owen is a player that we were made aware of and who joined us from day one of our pre-season. He very much impressed with his aggression, his defensive mindset but also his composure and ability with the football.

"In our opinion he's a player with a very high ceiling and our job is to create an environment and give him the platform to achieve that potential. We're delighted that he has signed."

Dundee manager Steven Pressley is looking to add six more players to his squad and is keen to take trialist defender Owen Bevan on loan from Bournemouth. (The Courier - subscription required, external)

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Dundee were held to a 1-1 draw by Highland League runners-up Brechin City in their pre-season friendly at Glebe Park despite having taken an early lead.

Head coach Steven Pressley fielded a mixture of senior and development players against the Angus side.

Forward Ashley Hay headed the Scottish Premiership team into the lead after 13 minutes.

However, striker Mitch Taylor equalised just before the break.

The draw follows a 2-0 defeat away to Livingston, who were relegated from the top flight last season, just over a week ago in their first pre-season game.

Notts County are set to sign Dundee striker Emile Acquah after the clubs agreed a deal in principle for the 25-year-old. (Daily Record), external

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Head coach Steven Pressley says Dundee beat "a number of other clubs" to "exciting signing" Zan Besir as the midfielder makes the switch from Primorje after their relegation from Slovenia's PrvaLiga.

The 25-year-old Slovenia Under-21 cap has signed a two-year contract with the option of a third having joined the Scottish Premiership club's pre-season training camp in Hungary.

Besir told the Dens Park club's website: "Dundee is a massive club, with great fans and great ambition, so for me it was a very easy pick and I'm looking forward to it.

"I know that the Scottish Premiership is a very tough league, so it's a big step for me in my career."

Besir started his career with Koper in his homeland and first joined Primorje in 2023 after loan spells with Dekani, Gorica and Tabor Sezana.

He moved to Nafta 1903 in January 2024 but returned to Primorje six months later and made 35 appearances last season, all but three of them starts, scoring five goals and providing three assists as they finished second bottom of Slovenia's top tier.

Pressley added: "Zan is another exciting signing for the season ahead.

"There were a number of others club interested in him.

"We were able to get him out to Budapest to join us, which was a great way for him to integrate with both staff and players."

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Paul Digby has been released by Dundee by mutual consent "to pursue an opportunity elsewhere", say the Scottish Premiership club.

English midfielder Digby, 31, made 18 appearances after joining the Dark Blues 13 months ago.

Previously, he had played for six clubs in his homeland, including spells at Barnsley and Ipswich Town.

"Everyone at Dundee Football Club would like to thank Paul for his efforts in dark blue and wish him all the best for the future," the club said.

New Dundee defender Ryan Finnigan, 22, believes the Dens Park club can help him produce his best football. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Dundee are close to sealing the signing of Slovenian midfielder Zan Besir after the 25-year-old left Primorje in his homeland. (The Courier, external)

With Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio sold and Clark Robertson also exiting, Dundee are short in central defence and it could mean a reprieve for Aaron Donnelly, the Northern Ireland international who had been told he could find a new club. (The Courier, external)

Celtic have beaten off major English competition to sign 16-year-old goalkeeper Warren Lyall on his first professional contract from Dundee, who will be due compensation. (Daily Record, external)

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Defender Luke Graham is leaving Dundee with a "big thank you to everyone around the club" after he was sold to Stoke City for an undisclosed club-record fee.

The 22-year-old centre-half was a standout performer last season, making 40 appearances and scoring three goals.

Capped at Under-21 level, he was included in Scotland's pre-World Cup training squad and was an unused substitute in May's friendly win over Curacao at Hampden.

Graham joined Dundee at the age of 15 and had loan spells at Lochee United, Albion Rovers, Montrose and Falkirk before making his first team debut in July 2024.

"I think it's the right time for me to move on and test myself in a different environment," he told club media.

"Sad to be leaving, but happy to see what lies ahead.

"Dundee has been massive for me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Dundee taking a chance on me as a young kid coming through the academy.

"I just want to say a big thank you to everyone around the club, all the supporters, all the teammates and everyone I've worked with. I've made a lot of really good friends along the way that I'll stay in touch with.

"Pulling on a Dundee shirt was a really proud feeling for me and I'll be supporting the club wherever I go."

Meanwhile, Dundee continued their pre-season tour of Hungary with a 2-1 win against Paksi.

Ashley Hay opened the scoring and 16-year-old Ryan Bland added the second for Steven Pressley's side.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Former defender Lee Wilkie fears Dundee will find it "really hard to replace" centre-halves Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio, but he is heartened by the fact head coach Steven Pressley has already shown "he can get the right players in".

Koumetio, 23, has left to sign for Charlton Athletic for an undisclosed fee.

Graham, 22, who has been linked with both Stoke City and Portsmouth, looks set to join him in England's Championship after the club accepted a bid for him.

Wilkie, who spent eight years at Dundee, said: "Luke has had a bit of interest around for the past wee while, so I think Dundee were probably preparing themselves quite well just to try and maximise the offers they were going to get for him and then prepare to replace him.

"Whereas with Billy it has been a little bit out of the blue and probably not ideal from Dundee's point of view in terms of trying to replace him.

"Because I think even with the time they had with Luke, trying to get the right kind of guys in would have been a tough job for them. So, to do it when Billy ends up going could end up being a really tough job to try and replace him."

"When you are talking about the core of a team - goalkeepers, centre-halves, centre midfielders, strikers - those types of players are always sought after and really hard to replace."

Dundee have a number of voids to fill in their team following the departure of several key players since the end of last season.

And Wilkie said: "Pressley has definitely shown he can get the right players in. He has got an eye for the right type of player and the right type that they want to get into the club.

"It is positive from the fans' point of view. If they are a little bit worried about who is going to be coming in, I think Pressley and his coaching staff and his recruitment staff are all definitely on the ball when it comes to getting the right players in.

"The only issue might be time, and I think you just need to look at their latest signing, [Ryan] Finnigan. I think Pressley himself mentioned that it took them almost 12 months to bring him in, so it just shows you the length of time it takes to get the right player into a club."

Dundee midfielder Paul Digby is in talks with Colchester United after the 31-year-old was told he was free to leave, while defender Aaron Donnelly could also exit this summer. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

Dundee defender Luke Graham, 22, is set for a seven-figure move to either Portsmouth or frontrunners Stoke City. (Sun), external

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee have accepted offers for defensive pair Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio.

The central defenders have left the Dark Blues' training camp in Hungary and could now finalise their departures from the club.

There has long been speculation surrounding Graham, 22, following a standout campaign in the heart of the Dundee rearguard, with a host of clubs, including English Championship sides Portsmouth and Stoke City, credited with an interest in him.

Frenchman Koumetio, 23, has also caught the eye since arriving on Tayside from Liverpool two years ago and has been linked with a move to English second-tier club Charlton Athletic in recent days.

Meanwhile, Dundee got off to a winning start in their pre-season preparations as an Ethan Hamilton goal was enough to beat Hungarian lower-league outfit Dorogi.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Despite Steven Pressley's wish to end the high turnover of players every summer at Dundee, it is shaping up as another busy close season for the Dark Blues.

Defensive pair Billy Koumetio and Luke Graham are part of Pressley's squad at their training camp in Hungary but it doesn't look like they will be at the club much longer.

Charlton Athletic are intensely pursuing the services of Koumetio and a move to London could be sealed soon.

And with the list of potential suitors for Graham ever growing, it seems a case of when rather than if he moves elsewhere.

While Dundee will be well recompensed on the financial front, those departures will create more holes in the squad for Pressley fill, following the exits of key players such as Cameron Congreve, Tony Yogane (now at Aberdeen) and Jon McCracken.

A couple of new faces have already arrived - defender Idris Odutayo and midfielder Ryan Finnigan - and more will follow.

Pressley is assessing a raft of potential recruits at their Hungary base. Free agent keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond, Bournemouth defensive pair Harold William and Owen Bevan plus Burnley midfielder Adam McCoy are all being put through their paces with a view to a deal.

Since he checked into Dundee last summer, Pressley has proved he has an eye for a player. Dens Park fans will be hoping he can unearth a few more gems over the coming weeks.

Portsmouth and Stoke City are both locked in talks with Dundee over Luke Graham, with the Dens Park club seeking at least £2m for the centre-half for whom they rejected a £1.5m bid from Pompey in January. (Daily Record, external)

Charlton Athletic are close to an agreement to sign Dundee centre-half Billy Koumetio after several six-figure bids were rejected, with the 23-year-old keen on a return to England. (Daily Record, external)

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Dundee have rejected several six-figure offers from Charlton Athletic for 23-year-old central defender Billy Koumetio. (The Courier, external)

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Dundee have signed midfielder Ryan Finnigan from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old made 10 appearances for Blackpool last season, either side of a 26-game loan spell at Walsall, where he scored four goals.

"Ryan is a player that we have pursued and monitored for the past 12 months and is has taken a lot of hard work from our recruitment team," manager Steven Pressley told club media.

"We also know there was strong interest in Ryan from other clubs in England, so we are obviously delighted to finally get him in the building.

"He most recently had a very successful loan at Walsall where I was able to witness first hand when watching my son, his qualities. He is a player we believe has a huge ceiling."