The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Top English clubs target United star
TANNADICE: Trio of clubs send scouts to watch young forward Logan Chalmers
Logan Chalmers is the latest young Dundee United star to attract the attention of Premiership and Championship clubs in England, Courier Sport can reveal.
Crystal Palace, Southampton and Birmingham City all sent scouts to Tannadice on Saturday to check out the young forward.
And they left having seen the 20-year-old put in a man of the match performance against St Mirren.
Earlier in the season he had played a big part in United’s winning goal against Ross County.
Manager Micky Mellon believes Chalmers is one of the brightest young talents in Scotland.
“I thought Logan Chalmers was outstanding,” said Mellon at the weekend.
“You show me a better performance from a young Scottish player and I’ll be delighted because it means we have two of them.”
Chalmers made his United debut in the League Cup back in 2017. He made seven appearances that season but only four in 2018-19.
Robbie Neilson sent him on loan to Arbroath midway through the last campaign.
It is under Mellon that his career has really taken off. Chalmers has started five of the eight Premiership games and been in the matchday squad for all of them.
Like another exciting product of United’s youth academy, Lewis Neilson, he has two years left on his contract so if interest is followed up with a bid, he won’t be leaving on the cheap as was the case with Scott Banks to Palace.
Dundee United’s Adrian Sporle may still be a bit homesick but getting his first goal in the Premiership will help him feel better.
The 25-year-old Argentinian scored what turned out to be the winner as the Tangerines beat St Mirren 2-1 in their Premiership clash at Tannadice on Saturday.
He almost – but not quite – outshone star frontman Lawrence Shankland, who had put the hosts ahead with a brilliant opening volley.
Seven minutes into the second half, Sporle took a clever touch before curling home a right-foot shot inside the Buddies’ crowded penalty box to put the home side two up.
He was used by United manager Micky Mellon in a more advanced role than his usual left-back position, playing to his attacking strengths.
And Sporle certainly didn’t disappoint with what was a composed finish.
More than most players at Tannadice, the coronavirus lockdown has been a considerable challenge for him.
Sporle, from the village of Centenario in Argentina, has been stuck thousands of miles away from his loved ones in a foreign land.
Speaking to DUTV after his winner against Saints, he said: “I am happy in Scotland (but) I am I missing my family.
“I am feeling good at the club, though, and scoring the goal helps.
“I am very happy to get my first goal in the Premiership and it was important, after we lost three times, to win the three points.”
Sporle is slowly but surely proving his value to the Tangerines.
He made his debut in a Betfred Cup game against Hearts at Tynecastle in July of last year but hasn’t always been a starter.
The ex-atletico Banfield man has made a total of 22 appearances for United – scoring goals against Cowdenbeath, Partick Thistle, Hibs and now St Mirren – but only half of those have seen him line up from kick-off.
Such was the quality of his all-round performance last weekend, however, that Mellon is likely to stick by him for the trip to Hamilton Accies this Saturday.