Dundee United manager Peter Houston has stressed he has other options should the bid to sign Dougie Imrie not succeed.
The Tangerines will not be going above the £25,000 they have offered Hamilton Accies for the striker. Accies appear to want more for Imrie and they could get it, with MK Dons in England reportedly ready to pay £30,000 for the former Inverness Caley Thistle man.
Houston is relaxed whatever the outcome. And as if to hammer home that point, the Tangerines will field a foreign striker as a trialist in a bounce game against Falkirk today.
”We made a bid for Dougie last week and that’s as far as it goes,” said Houston. ”If someone else has bid more then they will get him because we won’t be increasing our offer.
”I think Dougie would be keen to come here but it will be a decision for Hamilton and him.
”Anyway, we have other targets in case it does not materialise. If we don’t get him we will look elsewhere because we need a striker.
”We have a bounce game on Tuesday against Falkirk and I have a trialist striker coming to play. He is from abroad and has been recommended to me so we will take a look at him.
”You never know with these things he might turn out to be the ideal man for us. We will have a look and see how he gets on.”
United parted company with on-loan Finnish frontman Lauri Dalla Valle after the match against Celtic at the weekend.
Dalla Valle returned to Fulham after failing to get ahead of Jon Daly and Johnny Russell in United’s attacking pecking order.
Houston wished him well and believes he has a bright future in the game.
”Credit to Lauri because he is a very good professional and has a great attitude,” said Houston. ”He is a very good finisher but with both Jon Daly and him coming short to the ball we needed someone to play over the top.
”And he was unlucky in that Jon and Johnny Russell were doing really well. They are both scoring goals and it was hard for him to get back into the side. But we really enjoyed working with him and wish him all the best. He is a great lad.”
Houston watched the 2-1 defeat to the Hoops from the stand after picking up a two-game ban and will be missing again when Motherwell visit Tannadice on Saturday. He praised his coaching staff for their efforts in his absence.
”I didn’t mind watching the game from the stand and was able to talk to our goalkeeping coach Steve Banks on the walkie-talkie,” said Houston. ”I got a good view of the game and was able to see a few things you wouldn’t normally at pitch side.
”The big thing was not being allowed into the dressing-room at half-time but credit to the coaching staff because they got the players fired up.”
Left-back Paul Dixon is back in training after taking a kick on his knee against Celtic, while Houston will field a strong team against the Bairns today.
”Dicker took a stud on his knee but he was back cycling again today in the gym so he should be fine for the Motherwell game,” said Houston. ”Gavin Gunning will play a half in the bounce game and so will Stuart Armstrong, Richie Ryan, Willo Flood and Danny Swanson.”