The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dark Blues in talks to hold on to Kamara
Dundee boss Neil McCann has revealed that the club have held talks with prize asset Glen Kamara in a bid to persuade the player to sign a contract extension.
The former Arsenal youth academy midfielder was a stand-out success for the Dark Blues last season.
The 22-year-old Finnish international’s performances brought him to the attention of other clubs with Rangers and Celtic, as well as sides in the English Premier League, all being credited with showing interest.
However, McCann insists that while it would take big money to prise Kamara from Dens, the club has not given up hope that he may yet decide to extend his contract beyond next summer.
The manager said: “Glen Kamara has not gone under the radar.
“So we are not ignorant to the fact that he is going to get attention.
“Now I am not in a position to say Glen will not go because if a bid comes in for him like it did with Jack Hendry and the club can use that to make itself better…
“But – and it is a big but – I don’t want Glen Kamara to go anywhere.
“Glen will not be going anywhere unless it is right for the club and it will have to be some serious cash.
“He will not be walking out of Dens Park unless the club get a very big deal.”
McCann insisted he knew just how good a player Kamara was after only 20 minutes of his first training session.
He has gone on to fulfil that initial promise but the manager believes the player is happy at Dens and is in no rush to leave.
McCann added: Glen will get attention but we are currently speaking to him.
“We have been speaking to him for a wee bit now.
“We signed him on a two-year deal.
“It was really difficult for me to come in here and start handing out three-year contracts on players I was not 100% sure on.
“Glen was a name that was put towards me and I saw some footage of him.
“We got him in and within 20 minutes I knew this boy could play.
“But I can’t start handing out three-year deals to some guy I have just seen in one training session.
“I saw enough to believe in him to agree a two-year deal.
“Very quickly after that you are trying to get him to sign again.
“Glen is so happy here. I met him for a bit of breakfast the other week before he went away on his holidays because he has been called up again by the full Finnish squad.
“That is another feather in the club’s cap to have an international here at this club.
“So I have spoken to him and he has loved his time here.
“He is not in any rush to get away and those talks will continue.”