Former Dundee United star Nadir Ciftci is once more on the transfer radar of Dundee boss James McPake.
The 29-year-old has been told to find a new club by Turkish side Samsunspor after their failed promotion attempt last season.
Last autumn, the Dark Blues were alerted to Ciftci’s availability as he looked for a way out of Super Lig side Caykur Rizespor.
However, McPake revealed budgetary constraints meant any move for the former Celtic man would be unsuccessful and the striker joined Samsunspor.
Speaking about Dundee’s finances, the Dens boss said: “You are… linked with players like Nadir Ciftci. People might ask why we didn’t sign him, well the money was too much.”
Now, though, Ciftci is available once more and it is understood Dundee are monitoring his situation in their search to add more firepower ahead of the new Premiership season.
The Dark Blues are keen to bring in a physical presence up top to add to their frontline options of Jason Cummings, Danny Mullen and Alex Jakubiak.
That’s after another former Tangerine, Osman Sow, left the club at the end of last season.
He finished last term as the club’s top goal scorer as they won promotion to the top flight through the play-offs.
Unhappy ending for Ciftci at Samsunspor
Ciftci, meanwhile, had an unhappy ending himself in Turkey’s top-flight promotion play-off.
Samsunspor spectacularly missed out on automatic promotion to the Super Lig by just one goal, finishing the regular campaign in a remarkable three-way tie with Adana Demirspor and Giresunspor.
Adana were crowned champions while Giresunspor pipped Ciftci’s side to second on goal difference, despite Samsunspor having scored more goals over the season.
And there was more drama to come in the play-off semi-final.
Ciftci scored from the penalty spot against Altinordu but Samsunspor’s dream of promotion ended after conceding a remarkable last-minute goal by Enis Destan from inside his own half.
That disappointment has led to a major shake-up at Samsunspor with a number of players leaving and plenty arriving.
Ciftci has been deemed surplus to requirements and his contract is to be ripped up.
Samsunspor’s president Yuksel Yildirim was quoted by Turkish media saying: “We lost the championship last year because of our lack of striker.
“This is something that appears. No need to deny.
“We made the wrong transfer. We got the players the coach wanted. He wanted both Nadir Çiftçi and (Mathias) Couruer. We wanted to bring in other players.”
Ciftci netted eight times in 28 matches but is now free to find a new club.
That has alerted a number of interested clubs, with Dundee among them.