Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dundee eye audacious move to bring former United striker to Dens
DUNDEE are eyeing a sensational swoop for former Dundee United hitman Nadir Ciftci.
Dens Park boss James McPake is looking to add firepower to his promotion push this season and Tele Sport understands the Turkish forward is high on the list of targets.
The 28-year-old has been back in his homeland for the past two years after leaving Celtic, recently signing a two-year contract with Super Lig side Caykur Rizespor.
However, that deal hasn’t worked out as planned and the striker is now available.
How a potential move goes down with Dees, though, is debatable to say the least.
Ciftci enraged Dundee players and the away support in a Tannadice derby back in May 2015 after an altercation with Dark Blues midfielder Jim McAlister.
The Turk had netted twice in that game but was later given an eight-match ban, with two suspended, for biting the leg of McAlister.
There is no doubting the frontman’s goal pedigree, however, even if a move from United to Celtic didn’t work out.
While at Tannadice, Ciftci scored 33 goals in 82 games, 25 in the Premiership, and played a pivotal role in getting the Tangerines to the Scottish Cup Final in 2014, netting in the semi-final win over Rangers at Ibrox.
Dundee, meanwhile, recently brought in two strikers in Danny Mullen and Alex Jakubiak from St Mirren and Watford respectively.
They arrived to replace Kane Hemmings and Andrew Nelson who left over the summer.
Manager McPake made it clear in January he wanted a third striker with an earlier bid for Mullen falling through in the last minute of the winter transfer window.
And it’s understood he is keen to bring in a player of Ciftci’s quality to supplement the attacking line he already has at Dens Park ahead of the new season, which starts next month.