Dundee United have agreed a deal to land Blackburn Rovers central defender Gavin Gunning.
Gunning (20) trained at the club’s St Andrews base yesterday and will join the Tangerines on a three-year contract once he finalises his release from the Premiership outfit.
The paperwork is routine but it will postpone his debut beyond tomorrow’s home match against St Mirren.
Gunning, who caught manager Peter Houston’s attention during a loan spell at Motherwell last term, will then report for duty with the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad for Tuesday’s home friendly against Austria before rejoining his new clubmates later in the week.
The funding of this deal has made swift use of some of the money from the unrelated transfer of David Goodwillie to Blackburn that was completed on Wednesday night.
United saw off interest from Barnsley, Scunthorpe, Well and Aberdeen to sign the Irishman and Houston was satisfied with his new acquisition.ExcellentHe said, “Gavin has agreed to join us on a three-year deal. He trained with the lads today and looked excellent.
“He still has a few things to sort out with Blackburn so he won’t play this weekend, but the deal is done to come to United and we are delighted to get him.
“I have told him to go back down to Blackburn so he will train with them tomorrow then meet up with the Republic of Ireland under-21s.
“He will join up with us again after he has been away on international duty. I think we have pulled off a coup to get him because there were a few other clubs interested.
“He is a player whom I really liked last season at Motherwell. I thought he did well against us and the way he sees the move here is as a chance to challenge for regular football.
“He was keen to be a United player as soon as I spoke to him and that is the kind of attitude I am looking for.”Form teamSt Mirren are the visitors to Tannadice tomorrow and they have been vying with the Tangerines to be the form team of the SPL so far.
The Paisley men drew with Dunfermline in their opener when they should have won, then beat Aberdeen last weekend.
That has been a show of defiance aimed at those who said they were favourites to be relegated.
Houston wasn’t one of those doubters and he has not been surprised to see Danny Lennon’s side start so well.
Houston said, “I saw St Mirren against Dunfermline and was very impressed by them. Danny has added great experience to his squad this season with the likes of Gary Teale and Steven Thomson.
“They have a lot of players I really rate so it will be an attractive game. They have been playing good football and will come to Tannadice looking to score goals.
“We always do that at home so I think it will be a good game. It is refreshing to see St Mirren do so well early on because a lot of people tipped them to struggle, but I never thought that for a minute.”
United midfielder Danny Swanson will not feature against Saints after being hit by a virus.