Thomas Courts: Dundee United boss welcomes transfer interest in his players
Dundee United head coach Thomas Courts is happy to see his key players being linked with moves elsewhere because it ties in with the club’s long-term strategy to sell them for a profit.
Scotland forward Lawrence Shankland, who scored three goals in four games as they topped their Premier Sports Cup group, is entering the final year of his contract while goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist has also attracted attention.
“There’s nothing official to report but it’s pleasing for me that these players are attracting interest because they are top players,” Courts told Sky Sports News.
“I see that every day in the terms of the way that they train and play.
“Ultimately when we recruit what we feel are future assets, at some point bigger clubs are going to come calling and showing interest. We need to be prepared for that.
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“I see that as a positive sign in terms of the strategy we’ve got at the club.”
Courts stepped up from head of tactical performance to head coach last month following Micky Mellon’s departure and the 39-year-old intends to give youth a chance before entering the transfer market.
“It’s something I’ve been speaking to the club about on a regular basis,” said Courts when asked about potential signings.
“I want to be really selective with the recruitment this year because again, I do feel the young players are scalable here.
“They’re hungry for opportunities so before we jump straight into the transfer market, I want to make sure I’ve case cast an eye over every single player here, and I think we’re almost there.
“We’re nearly there in terms of making some key decisions.”
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Dundee United will look to build on their four successive League Cup wins when they face Aberdeen in their Scottish Premiership season opener on August 1.
The club finished ninth last season on their return to the top flight and Courts says the return of city rivals Dundee and Hearts adds to the league’s intrigue.
“It’s going to be very exciting,” said Courts. “There’s a lot of derbies in there.
“I’m a huge advocate of the Scottish Premiership anyway, I always take the opportunity to talk the league up. It’s a unique league, very competitive.
“Having spent last season in the league, the players will be aware of what the challenges are. They’ll be excited and ready for it.
“Should a top-six finish be the target? I understand the points total you need to achieve each quarter to get that. But Aberdeen is the priority and they’ll obviously have their own ambitions.
“We understand where we need to be on a regular basis in order to target the top end of the league.”
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