Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
McPake thrilled to get Utd speed merchant on pre-contract deal
DUNDEE boss James McPake says new signing Paul McMullan will add an “extra dimension” to the Dark Blues attack when he arrives in the summer.
And he hopes the 24-year-old can have the sort of impact his former Dee team-mate Martin Boyle has had at Hibs.
Dundee United winger McMullan will cross Sandeman Street at the end of his current Tannadice deal after signing a pre-contract agreement on a two-year stay at Dens.
The move also has the potential to go through this month, should the clubs find a way to thrash out a deal.
McPake, though, is just looking forward to adding McMullan’s blistering pace to his attack.
He said: “We are delighted as Paul is a player I have wanted for a while.
“He is someone who has caused Dundee problems before so he is one we are looking forward to getting in this summer.
“Paul brings an extra dimension that not many teams have at the moment.
“I class him as similar to Martin Boyle. I played with Boyley at Dundee and look what he has gone and done at Hibs.
“Paul is that type of player – he is quick, he is dynamic, he sets up goals, he scores goals – he brings a real attacking threat to the team.
“He is only 24 and he will definitely improve. We are looking forward to working with him in the summer.
“He will improve our team but we believe we will improve him as a player.
“He is the right age and fits the right profile for what we are trying to do.
“Paul will bring something we don’t have – out and out real pace. Not a lot of teams have that which was why we were so keen to get it done.”
Asked whether McMullan could become a Dundee player this month, McPake replied: “The deal was done as a pre-contract and that’s what it is with a view to the summer.
“This has been one we have worked on for a while. We almost got him in the last window but it fell through in the end.
“United decided he wasn’t going anywhere and Paul decided he wasn’t going to Ross County.
“We knew then that we would probably have to wait until now to offer him a pre-contract to get him in the summer.
“He is still only 24 and has loads of potential. But he has already won a title and played a lot of football for someone of his age.
“He is an exciting player and one that was very high on the list of what we were looking for.”
McPake added: “He is a good player and I know him as a person. He is a good character and the one thing about him is he is very hungry to learn and very hungry to come to Dundee and do well.
“He really fits the bill for what we are looking to do.”