Image source, SNSAnderlecht are in talks to sign full-back Will Ferry from Dundee United, while newly-promoted Bundesliga side Schalke 04 watched the 25-year-old in Friday's draw with Rangers at Tannadice. Daily Record - subscription required, external
United fans, we asked you for your thoughts after the 1-1 draw with Rangers that opened the Scottish Premiership season. Here's a taste of what you had to say...
Mike: Great first half, deserved the lead. United weathered the Rangers onslaught second half and it could have gone either way at the end. I'm a happy United fan in Majorca, top of the league!
Stephen: United will rue that gilt-edged chance to take all three points - and it wouldn't have been an unfair result on the balance of play over the full 90 minutes.
Yes, it was a tough game and both sides had chances but United tried to play football, whereas this was like a Rangers team of old resorting to route one. Other than Thelo Aasgaard having some nice touches they were very poor and United should have punished them more.
It bodes well for the rest of the season for us, nobody needs feared and we have to work just as hard now in every other match. Jim Goodwin seems to have assembled an improved squad and the tactics worked tonight. On to the next game with optimism.
Craig: A solid start. Looks like we'll be playing a more attacking style this season. The new signings look promising and it's great to finally have some pace up front. We will miss Will Ferry massively if and when he leaves though - man of the match yet again.
Lee: Major change from last season. The set-up is better, our players are better, and we played better football. I'd have loved to have seen Amar Fatah in this team! Early signs are promising!
Jim: Reasonable start against a average Rangers team with Jesse Randall making mess of great chance to win it. No new signing stood out as exceptional, which is what you hope for, and the dearth of Scottish players on show now seems to be the norm.
Ross: Outstanding first half, the best opening 45 minutes at Tannadice for a long time. Flowing link-up play, solid as a rock at the back and hugely impressive work rate across the park. Second half was bound to dip but still a decent display and a fully deserved point.
Some real potential among the new signings , including Michael Forbes who was colossal in defence. But also a word of appreciation for Bert Esselink, who at times last season looked like he'd never appear in the first team again. More of the same will do us nicely.
Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw at Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership curtain-raiser as the Derek McInnes era got off to an underwhelming start at Tannadice.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "I'm obviously very pleased with the overall performance, I thought the first half was excellent, I thought we were the better team.
"Rangers make changes at half-time and put us on the back foot for the opening 10 or 15 minutes of the second 45, but I think on the balance of play, when you break down all the different metrics, a draw is probably fair.
"But I can't get away from the fact that we miss that glorious chance at the end where Jesse Randall is through one-on-one and you're thinking that's the moment.
"Poor decision-making from him in that moment. I don't think he will make that choice the next time that opportunity comes along.
"He's apologised to the group, but I can't be over critical of the player; I think he's had a terrific game. He's a really, really talented young prospect. His overall performance was excellent, and I'm sure he'll be thinking about it into the small hours.
"I thought we chose to play the right pass more often than not.
"We're not getting carried away, it's only a point, and we wanted all three, but to get that point on the board is important."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSSapsford and fellow Australian Lauchlan Rose are both among the goals already this season
Zac Sapsford is loving the influx of players from down under at Tannadice.
The Australian striker joined Dundee United last summer and now has company in fellow countrymen Daniel Bennie, Lachlan Rose and Joshua Rawlins, plus New Zealander Jesse Randall.
"I am shocked at how many we are getting, it is amazing," said 23-year-old Sapsford.
"I am always happy to have more Australians here, it makes you feel a bit more at home and hearing that familiar accent is always nice.
"They are going to be good players for us this season as well so it will be amazing."
United are targeting an opening-night scalp when they host Rangers on Friday and are determined to ensure a better season than last term's seventh-place finish.
Sapsford said: "Our target will be top six this season, like last season, but obviously we fell a bit short of that.
"We can potentially get into those European positions and that all starts this Friday night.
"[Last season] we dropped a lot of points in times where we probably shouldn't have, and silly mistakes or not taking our chances. All those kind of things you learn from and hopefully fix."
Having netted 11 goals in his debut campaign in Scotland, Sapsford has made a good start to this one, scoring three during United's Premier Sports Cup group campaign.
He said: "Every attacker wants to start the season well and I want to continue doing that."
Image source, Rangers FC/Dundee United FCOlwethu Makhanya and Daniel Bennie are vying for debuts
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has a fully fit squad for their Scottish Premiership season opener at home to Rangers on Friday.
On-loan Queens Park Rangers winger Daniel Bennie has arrived since United qualified for the Premier Sports Cup last 16 by topping their group and the 20-year-old could make his debut at Tannadice.
South Africa centre-back Olwethu Makhanya signed for Rangers on Thursday from Philadelphia Union and is one of eight summer arrivals aiming for competitive debuts along with manager Derek McInnes.
The former Hearts boss hopes Norway's Thelo Aasgaard and Australia's Cammy Devlin will recover from knocks picked up in their friendly draw with West Ham United.
But fellow midfielder Connor Barron is building up his fitness, while Jose Cifuentes, on loan with Toronto last season, has had an operation and also misses out.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin hopes his "new look" side can catch Rangers by surprise in Friday night's Scottish Premiership opener at Tannadice.
United have made 10 signings so far this summer, while Rangers are under new management after Derek McInnes swapped Tynecastle for Ibrox.
"There will be a level of unknown from Rangers in terms of what our starting 11 is going to look like, a lot of players that some of their players aren't too familiar with. Hopefully we can catch them by surprise," Goodwin said.
"The recruitment we have done has been excellent. The squad looks in a really good place - we have got lots of good options in all areas of the pitch.
''We have got a change to our style and formation as well which we have spent the past six weeks working on. The players have been really receptive to that and I have seen really positive signs in training and in the pre-season games we have played.
"It is a very new look Dundee United and hopefully we will show ourselves well in the big game."
After an underwhelming seventh-place Premiership finish last season, Goodwin is setting his sights higher this term.
"A club of Dundee United's size should be competing the top half of the league after the split," he said.
"We should have aspirations of competing for those European places and in the domestic cup competitions we want to go far.
"We know how difficult the league is going to be, last year it was probably the most competitive that the Scottish Premiership has been for a number of years.
"But what we have managed to do in the past three seasons is stabilise the club.
"What we are trying to do is be a proper competitive Premiership team and I think we are seeing signs of that year on year."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Friday night's Scottish Premiership opener with Rangers at Tannadice.
Here is the best of what he had to say:
Goodwin says United should be targeting a top-six finish in the Scottish Premiership, challenging for Europe and making inroads in the cup competitions.
When asked what needs to improve from last season's bottom-half league placing, he says they conceded too many goals and had too many draws.
Goodwin expects new Rangers manager Derek McInnes to implement a similar style of play to his previous sides - adding he is a "good" and "sensible" appointment.
He described new signing Daniel Bennie "as a really exciting player" after the 20-year-old winger joined on a season-long loan from QPR.
Having already made 10 summer signings, Goodwin said there is not a lot more to do to his squad, but added they will remain active in the window "right up until the last day".
Goodwin gave 15-year-old striker Lorenzo Sassetti his debut in the Premier Sports Cup group stages and has welcomed a rule change which allows him to play in all SPFL competitions.
He hopes the rule change will help encourage good young Scottish players to stay in this country.
Team News: "Pretty much a full complement of players to chose from".
Image source, SNSThis will be Derek McInnes' first competitive game as Rangers boss. The last manager to lose their first top-flight league match in charge of the club was Graeme Murty in February 2017 (2-1 v Dundee), with 11 Rangers bosses avoiding defeat in their debut since (W8 D3).
McInnes has only lost one of his past 15 Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W8 D6), a 4-0 defeat with Kilmarnock in November 2022.
This will be the first Premiership opener played on a Friday since the 2013-14 season, when Dundee United played out a goalless draw with Partick Thistle. Since and including that year, the Tangerines have drawn six of their past nine matchday one games in the competition (W1 L2), including their latest four in a row.
Rangers are unbeaten in 13 league meetings with Dundee United (W9 D4) since a 1-0 defeat in August 2021 under Steven Gerrard.
This will be the fifth time Dundee United have faced Rangers in the opening game of a league season, while they failed to win any of the previous four (D2 L2), most recently a 1-1 draw in 1987-88.
This will be Rangers' 10th league match played in the month of July in their history. They have won eight of the previous nine, failing only in a 1-1 draw with Hearts in 2011.
Image source, Getty ImagesDundee United have boosted their attacking options by signing Daniel Bennie on a season-long loan from Queens Park Rangers.
Born in Hong Kong to Scottish parents, the 20-year-old winger moved to Australia in 2017 and was picked up by Perth Glory in 2021.
Bennie earned a move to the English Championship in 2024 after breaking into the A-League side's first team. He has since played 32 times for QPR, scoring twice.
"Daniel will provide another option for us going forward and add real strength and depth as we head into the season," said manager Jim Goodwin.
"Daniel is direct and pacy and adds real versatility across our front line. I can't wait to get to work with him."
New United signing Bennie added: "This is such a huge club and it felt like, at this stage of my career, it is the best move to keep developing my craft on loan.
"I know a few of the lads from the A-League and played with Josh [Rawlins] for a bit at Perth, so I'm excited to see some familiar faces and meet all the other lads."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Dundee United's campaign last season fell in to the 'meh' category.
They finished seventh - never in any danger of getting sucked into things at the bottom, but also failing to mount a concerted challenge for the top six.
The United fans will be hoping there is more to get them excited this time round.
The Tangerines had the unwanted title of draw specialists last term. They shared the spoils in 15 of their 38 league games, more than anyone else except relegated Livingston who drew the same number.
The challenge now for United will be turning a few more of those draws into wins.
Finding a route to goal will also be crucial - their tally of just 24 in the Premiership last season was among the lowest in the league.
If manager Jim Goodwin can successfully address both of the above issues then there would appear to be no reason why they can't get back into the top six. If they can't then it is likely to be another season of frustration and what ifs.
Perhaps we will get a few early pointers in an intriguing looking Premiership opener at home to Rangers on Friday night.
Dundee United midfielder Julius Eskesen is attracting transfer interest from Danish outfit Esbjerg fB. (Courier - subscription required), external
Read the rest of Wednesday's Scottish gossip.
Paul McNicoll
Fan writer
Where will you finish in the league and why?
I want to believe that we will finish sixth this season but I do have a nagging doubt about that in the back of my mind. If Jim Goodwin can effectively solve the defensive issues of last season then the top six simply has to be the target, and it feels achievable.
Who is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?
Going out on a limb here, I'll say that Idjessi Metsoko will be our best signing. From the small sample size that I have seen of him he seems to know exactly where the goal is. He could be a very big player for us and a difference maker in tight matches.
What do you want from your manager this season?
Progress.
First season back up Goodwin had us finishing in fourth. In truth, we punched above our weight that season. Last season we shipped poor goals what felt like every week and still managed to finish seventh. Getting back into the top six would certainly feel like a step in the right direction - and let's not forget about a cup run. St Mirren reminded us all of what is possible in the national cup competitions last season, and a trip to Hampden would be most welcome down Tannadice way.
Who will be the breakout star in your squad?
Dylan Tait is a player that isn't exactly an unknown, having played for a handful of Scottish sides already, but I feel like he's ready to take a big step forward in his career and he could very well become undroppable in the United midfield this season.
What is your one major concern?
So the flip side to all of my answers here is that my one major concern is Jim Goodwin not sorting out the defence and that we continue to lose poor goals. We do not appear to be a team that are going to be overly free scoring, so being tight at the back is imperative.
Paul McNicoll can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external
Dundee United are set to sign Basaksehir midfielder Abdoulaye Yoro, 19 but Philadelphia Union left-back Philippe Ndinga, 21, is expected to join Zulte Waregem rather than the Tannadice club. (Courier - subscription required, external)
Image source, SNSIdjessi Metsoko and Jamie Forrest were on target as Dundee United concluded their pre-season friendly games with a 3-2 defeat away to Salford City on Saturday.
Trailing 2-0 at the interval to goals from Macaulay Langstaff and Adebola Owolu, manager Jim Goodwin changed his entire outfield team for the second half.
Lorenzo Sassetti and Ross Graham threatened before Metsoko fired home from the edge of the penalty area.
Josh Austerfield restored the hosts' two-goal cushion but there was a strong finish from United as Forrest finished off following a driving run from fellow teenager Charlie Dewar.
United get the new Scottish Premiership season under way at home to Rangers on Friday evening.
Dundee United are still waiting for Major League Soccer to sanction the loan signing of 21-year-old left-back Philippe Ndinga from Philadelphia Union. (Daily Record, external)
Manager Jim Goodwin has vowed to "fight tooth and nail" to keep Lorenzo Sassetti, who became Dundee United's youngest ever player on Tuesday at the age of 15, at the club despite the forward being tracked by several clubs in Serie A and the English top flight. (The Courier, external)
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, The CourierDundee United 25-year-old Will Ferry is on a list of potential left-back options Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is considering. (The Courier, external)
Dundee United have held talks with Baseksehir about taking 19-year-old midfielder Abdoulaye Yoro on loan. (Daily Record, external)
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
