Image source, SNSTeenage forward Kai Hutchison has left Dundee United to join Everton.
The Scottish Premiership club say they offered the 16-year-old, who was yet to play a first-team game, a professional contract, but he has opted to move south instead.
United added that a compensation package has been agreed for the youngster, who becomes the latest in a long line of prospects to leave Scotland for the Premier League.
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin admits his Dundee United side are "not quite fit enough" after they were beaten 1-0 by Scottish League One side Montrose in Tuesday's League Cup group stage game.
A defensive lapse for United's Ross Graham allowed Montrose's Graham Webster to score the only goal of the game at Links Park.
The defeat comes after a stoppage time penalty helped the Tangerines to a narrow 1-0 win against Stirling Albion at the weekend.
The result on Tuesday means Stirling Albion, Arbroath, Montrose and United all sit on three points in Group B but Arbroath and Montrose have a game in hand.
"We lacked that bit of creativity that we spoke about on Saturday," Goodwin told club media.
"I think it's normal for such a new group of players to not quite have that understanding and not quite gelling the way that we would like at this early stage, but I would still expect us as the Premiership team with the quality of players that we have to have at least scored a goal or two.
"It's not acceptable. We know that and for me as the manager, I've got to accept the criticism that comes our way.
"You're on a hiding to nothing in these games as the Premiership team, they come around too early, we know that, the team is not quite fit enough.
"It's a group of players that have only been together for three weeks, it's only normal that they don't have that understanding that you would expect, but it'll come.
"We're still in the competition, and that's the bottom line."
AC Milan, Internazionale and Juventus are exploring whether they can snatch Lorenzo Sassetti from Dundee United for free after the 15-year-old striker played for Scotland's youth sides but recently switched to Italy. (Sun, external)
Ross County forward Brian Graham suggests his former Falkirk manager John McGlynn as Scotland manager. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)
Image source, SNSDundee United defender Matthew Mudie has joined League Two side The Spartans on a season long loan, the club has confirmed.
The 18-year-old right-back has been part of United's youth academy and has featured six times for the club's B team.
Mudie is yet to make his senior debut for United and will spend the upcoming season with the Edinburgh outfit.
After a solid but ultimately unspectacular seventh-place finish, Dundee United head into the new season determined to kick on.
Host Andrew Petrie is joined by columnist Jim Spence and fan podcaster Ronny Costello to discuss a summer of change at Tannadice.
The panel assess Jim Goodwin's future, the growing expectation of a more attacking style of play, and whether key signings such as Dylan Tait and the returning Jack Walton can help United move forward.
They also reflect on the departures of influential figures including Amar Fatah and Luca Stephenson, debate the club's recruitment strategy, and shine a spotlight on exciting academy prospect Cohen Leiper after his eye-catching start to the campaign.
With hopes of a top-six finish and pressure building for progress, can United find the consistency they lacked last season?
Image source, Getty ImagesNew Dundee United winger Mehdi Merghem "brings a real creative difference", says manager Jim Goodwin after signing the 28-year-old on a two-year deal.
Merghem arrives at Tannadice as a free agent after half a season with Bastia in the French second tier.
"He can make something happen out of nothing and I felt that was an area of the squad we needed to recruit for," Goodwin told club media.
"Mehdi is the type of player who will excite the fans with his style and dead-ball expertise."
With French and Algerian citizenship, Merghem is United's ninth summer signing.
He has Ligue 1 experience with Guingamp and has also played in Portugal with Farense and at Algerian clubs USM Alger and JS Kabylie.
"I can't wait to get going," he said.
"My conversations with the manager and the coaching staff have been great and I've also had the chance to meet my new team-mates which has been fantastic.
"I like to make chances happen, score goals and get assists, which is what I hope to do with Dundee United."
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin (left) oversaw a 1-0 win at Forthbank Stadium on Saturday
Jim Goodwin revealed Dundee United have "one or two" potential incomings following his side's 1-0 win at Stirling Albion.
Zac Sapsford's added-time penalty gave United a winning start to their Premier Sports Cup group.
"We've got one or two in the pipeline at the moment that are bubbling away," Goodwin told Premier Sports.
"We would expect to have a bit of positive news, I would imagine either over the weekend or early part of next week on one in particular.
"We certainly need a couple of wide players at least."
Republic of Ireland's Will Ferry, who can play wide on the left in attacking and defending positions, was not in the Tangerines' squad at Forthbank Stadium and has been linked with a move away from Tannadice.
Meanwhile, Goodwin says 16-year-old substitute Cohen Leiper "thoroughly deserves" his plaudits after making an impact against Stirling.
"I'm delighted for Cohen," Goodwin said of the wide man.
"You could even hear the supporters there beside him - the excitement that young wingers give to the crowd when they just go and get at people.
"That's what we're trying to encourage him to do in training. He got his rewards."
Manager Jim Goodwin says Will Ferry is unlikely to play for Dundee United until he sorts out his future after the 25-year-old winger rejected a £1.8m transfer to a Czech club earlier this month. (Courier - subscription required, external)
Will Ferry has "earned the right to explore all his options", says manager Jim Goodwin, after Dundee United accepted a bid from a Czech side for the Republic of Ireland international, 25. (Courier - subscription required, external)
Image source, SNSDundee United may have added eight new players but manager Jim Goodwin remains busy with his squad-building plans as he seeks to add threat on the wings.
Forwards Jesse Randall, Lachlan Rose and Idjessi Metsoko are among the summer recruits for the team that finished seventh in the Premiership last season.
"We're still nowhere near finished," Goodwin said in a club media interview. "We need to add more at the top end of the pitch, particularly in the wide areas.
"Jesse Mitsoko gives us three really good options at the top end with Zac Sapsford and Lachie Rose."
Jesse Randall is yet to arrive after appearing as a substitute in all three of New Zealand's group games at the World Cup.
The 23-year-old can play on either flank.
"We hope to have him in over the weekend and we'll gradually build him up," said Goodwin, who takes his side to Stirling Albion on Saturday for the opening round of group games in the Premier Sports Cup.
"He shouldn't take too long to get him up to speed because he's a fit boy. He's not had a huge break after the World Cup, so he should be in relatively good shape."
With Dylan Tait arriving from Falkirk, Michael Forbes coming from West Ham and goalkeeper Jack Walton returning, Goodwin added: "I think the business we've done has been excellent up to now. There's been a lot of hard work going into that.
"We had that freedom to go and conduct our business early before the season finished and I think put us in a really strong position when you consider how far ahead of some of the other teams in the league we are.
"And obviously we're now into the cycle where the lads that came last summer have settled in for a full year."
Arbroath are keen on a loan move for 18-year-old Dundee United midfielder Scott Constable, who spent time with Airdrieonians last season. (The Courier - subscription required, external)
Image source, SNSDundee United have sent striker Owen Stirton to Ayr United on a season-long loan, with manager Jim Goodwin stressing the need for the 19-year-old to play regular first-team football.
Stirton made seven appearances, starting three times, on loan to Airdrieonians in the second half of last season as they were relegated from the Championship.
Now he returns to the second tier with Ayr under new head coach Gary Naysmith.
Stirton also made 17 appearances for United last season, three of them starts, but only scored once for either club - in a 2-1 League Cup defeat by Kilmarnock in August.
He admitted to Ayr United TV: "The way Airdrie played didn't suit me, but I came back to United and played the last four games.
"Scoring goals is my job and I feel confident doing that."
Stirton previously scored nine times in 14 games on loan to Montrose in League One and Goodwin told his club website: "We feel this is a good opportunity for Owen to continue his development at a good club and get the regular game time needed at this stage.
"Like Sam, it's so important that the younger lads are playing week in, week out and Ayr are a really good club who will look after him."
Image source, Getty ImagesIdjessi Metsoko featured and scored in the Champions League for Slovan Bratislava
Manager Jim Goodwin believes forward Idjessi Metsoko is ready to thrive for Dundee United after scoring at Champions League and international level.
The Togo striker has penned a season-long loan deal from Viktoria Plzen, with United holding an option to buy the 24-year-old.
Metsoko has played just 10 times for the Czech top-flight club since joining in 2024, but he is braced for a new challenge in Scotland.
The striker has been on loan in Slovakia for the past two seasons, first at Slovan Bratislava, where he scored in the Champions League proper against Stuttgart.
He spent last term at Spartak Trnava, scoring five times in 17 games, and made his international debut in March, scoring on his debut against Guinea.
"He's a powerful, explosive forward with great feet for a striker and quick across the ground," said manager Goodwin. "So he possesses all the attributes we felt we needed when looking for another forward.
"He's had a great last couple of years, scoring in the Champions League and on his international debut, and we feel he's heading to Scotland ready to build on the groundwork he's laid."
New United signing Metsoko added: "It has always been a dream of mine to play in the UK and I'm looking forward to the new challenge.
"The opportunity to work under the manager and coaching staff in the Scottish Premiership really appealed to me and I can't wait to meet the lads and try to help the team have a really successful season."
Ryan Strain has joined up with PFA Scotland's inaugural free agent training camp after the 29-year-old right-back departed Dundee United. (PFA Scotland, external)
Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Ayr United are keen to seal loan deals for two Dundee United 19-year-olds - striker Owen Stirton and defender Charlie Dewar - amid interest from Championship rivals. (The Courier, external)
Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSDundee United centre-half Sam Cleall-Harding has joined Dunfermline Athletic on a season-long loan.
The 20-year-old was limited to 10 appearances with the Scottish Premiership club last season, but seven of those were starts.
Now he joins Neil Lennon's side as they bid for promotion from the Championship.
West Fife is familiar territory for Cleall-Harding, who spent the first half of the 2024-25 season on loan to Kelty Hearts during their first season in League 1.
United manager Jim Goodwin told his club website: "It's a brilliant move for Sam and allows him to go and express himself at a side that is returning off the back of a really strong season.
"We felt it was important this summer to find a club where Sam could go play a run of games and continue his development playing week in, week out."
Will Ferry has returned to training with Dundee United after the 25-year-old winger did not progress a transfer to a Czech club he had been given permission to talk to and who had a £1.8m offer accepted by the Scottish Premiership outfit. (Daily Record, external)
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Goals from midfielder Panutche Camara, striker Zac Sapsford and Scotland youth midfielder Jamie Forrest gave Dundee United a 3-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic in a pre-season closed-doors friendly.
The Championship side's goal came from 17-year-old forward Lucas Fyfe.
Image source, SNSZac Sapsford scored against Dunfermline
Image source, SNSFormer Ross County goalkeeper Jordan Amissah has returned to Scotland to provide a "calm and composed" presence at Dundee United, says manager Jim Goodwin.
The 24-year-old has agreed a two-year deal at Tannadice following his exit from Burton Albion.
Amissah impressed during a six-month spell at County before heading back south of the border. He feels he played his best football in Scotland.
"The conversations I've had with the gaffer and the coaching staff have been really exciting, and I wanted to get started as soon as I could," he said.
"My time at Ross County was probably where I played my best football to date, so a move back north appealed to me, especially with United being such a big club.
"I can't wait to get going in pre-season and see all the fans at Tannadice in a few weeks' time, and hopefully this season will be full of success."
United boss Goodwin added: "He's still a young goalkeeper but has had experience in League One and, importantly, the Scottish Premiership with Ross County.
"He's calm and composed, not only as a player but as a person, and that's important for me."
