Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Foreign trialists on show for Dee
DUNDEE could be on the verge of a double signing after using two trialists with plenty of first team experience as their U/20s season kicked off last night.
Ugandan midfielder Khalid Aucho was a surprise inclusion as the second string drew 1-1 with Hearts at Ochilview.
And up front was striker James Demetriou, who the Tele l ast week revealed would be joining up for a trial.
The much travelled Aucho, 24, already has 32 appearances for the Ugandan national team and has experience of European club football, have been with Serbian outfits Red Star Belgrade and OFK Beograd in the early part of this year.
His career started with his home town club Jinja Municipal before he moved to t wo other sides i n Uganda, Water F.C. and Simba F.C.
From there he had a spell in neighbouring Kenya with Tusker F.C. and then Gor Mahia before he switched to the South African Premier League and Baroka.
He would need a work permit t o play i n t his country and the fact he is a regular f or his country would help on that score.
It’s not the first time Aucho has been linked with a move to the Premiership.
In the summer of 2016 he spent several weeks on trial with Aberdeen and impressed boss Derek McInnes.
Any chance of him being handed a permanent contract was scuppered when his then club, Gor Mahia, demanded a substantial fee.
After that he was also linked with Rangers, but again a deal failed t o materialise.
As the Tele reported last week, 22-year-old Demetriou has had spells with Sydney Olympic, Nottingham Forest and Swansea and spent l ast season i n Cyprus with Karmiotissa.
He was born in Sydney, but has Australian-Cypriot nationality and would not, therefore, require a work permit.
Dundee, who were also in touch with Colchester United about a possible loan deal for striker Denny Johnstone last week, have, as yet, not commented on the pair.
Last night’s match also saw first team men Tom Hateley and Lewis Spence handed game-time.
Dundee took the lead in the first half but were pegged back by half-time.
At top team level, news is still awaited of the extent of the injuries picked up by strikers Marcus Haber and Faissal El Bakhtaoui in the defeat at Aberdeen on Saturday.
Tickets for next month’s Betfred Cup quarter-final against Celtic at Dens Park are now on sale from the club shop.