Dee linked with midfielder Woods

NEIL McCann is closing in on his first signing as Dundee boss with the Dark Blues linked with a move for former Ross County midfielder Martin Woods.

The 31-year-old is a free agent after being released by the Dingwall outfit at the end of the season.

The former Sunderland and Doncaster man featured 35 times for the Highland side last campaign but left the Staggies despite triggering an extra year on his contract.

The Dark Blues have also been linked with moves for former goalie Kyle Letheren, St Johnstone defender Tam Scobbie and a sensational swoop for out-ofcontract Dundee United man Blair Spittal.

However, the new Dens boss has been reluctant to give away anything about who he was after.

“I’ve got several targets in mind,” said Neil. “I’ve had several over the last few weeks.

“That’s because part of my job as interim boss was for the new season, although I wasn’t committed to the new season to begin with.

“It was absolutely part of the deal that I had to start putting things in place.

“It’s interesting I now find myself picking up the baton to actually take it forward.

“I had already started it and the work began in earnest last week.”

Despite already having an idea about which signings can improve the squad at Dens, Neil will be scouring the transfer market far and wide for talent.

“Really, there will be agents getting battered, there will be players coming thick and fast at me,” he said.

“As a football manager, I can’t believe it, it’s j ust absolutely constant.

“However, it’s a good constant because we need it, we need recruitment and the more players that come to me, the bigger decisions I have to make with a bigger pool to choose from.”

McCann was also not giving much away when asked what his exact aims were for the season ahead in his debut full season as a manager.

With a reported playing budget that was the fifth-highest in the division last campaign, logic dictates no less than a place in the top six this coming season will do for Dundee.

“We’ve got our own challenges — and we won’t come out and say what they are,” he added.

“But we will look to be competitive and that means not being involved in the dogfight we were last year.”

Midfielder Martin Woods played 35 times for Ross County last season but has been released by the Dingwall outfit.