KEEP YOUR CASH
United supremo Asghar pledges he won’t sell Shanks... no matter how big the offer
DUNDEE UNITED supremo Tony Asghar last night insisted they won’t sell star striker Lawrence Shankland for any price. The hitman has slammed 15 goals for the Championship leaders since joining from Ayr. That form has earned his first Scotland caps and admiring glances from top-flight big guns. But Asghar claims he’s going nowhere. The United sporting
director said: “Lawrence has committed to three years. This club has a history of selling players at the wrong time.
“My job is to get the best value for the club.
“The best value for the club is to go on and get promotion over and above
any money from a transfer fee. The owners have invested a lot of money. They’re craving success.
“If you weigh a transfer fee up against success on the pitch, they’ll take success on the pitch every time. “I don’t think there’s any price you could name for
us to sell him and then not give ourselves the best chance of promotion.
“I’m sure Lawrence would say the same thing. He’s a great boy.
“Other clubs had a chance to take him six months ago and never took it – he understands that.”
Asghar was speaking as he announced new deals for boss Robbie Neilson and coaches Lee McCulloch and Gordon Forrest that will keep them at Tannadice until 2022.
Shankland, 24, netted his first Scotland goal in Sunday’s 6-0 romp over San Marino and Asghar added: “Lawrence was a target for
us all last season. Robbie and I spoke about him and it took a lot of time and phone calls to get him.
“He’s committed to the cause here. By seeing the coaching staff all signing new deals now, it will show him that we’re all in this for the long-term.
“Some clubs can find
themselves in the position where they have to sell their top assets. We are not in that position.
“The owners were clear when Lawrence arrived in the summer.
“He’s a key part of what we’re trying to do, so I don’t expect any chats like this come January.” United are craving promotion back to the top flight this season with Asghar and Neilson both eyeing a return to Europe too.
The sporting director added: “My long-term ambition is the same as Robbie’s, to get success for this club.
“The first of these is to get into the Premiership. My personal ambition, and Robbie’s too, is then to compete in Europe again.”
Neilson was delighted to sign his fresh deal and said: “This was an easy decision to make.
“The owner’s vision is to get the club into the top flight. We are trying to build something special here at Dundee United and if you look at where the club was a year ago, it is night and day now.
“There is a real positive energy around the place. We have a great dressing room and a fantastic support staff. The focus is on achieving our target.”