McCann defiant as Hendry interest grows

Only substantial bids will be able to prise highly-rated defender away from Dens

Dundee boss Neil McCann has confirmed there has been interest but no bids from more than one club in highly-rated defender Jack Hendry.

Champions Celtic have been heavily linked with making a move for the former Partick and Wigan centre-half in the January window and are understood to be lining up a £1.5 million offer.

However, McCann is determined to hold on to the 22-year-old and defiantly insisted that the days when Dundee would “accept poor offers for exceptional talent” were well and truly over.

The Dens boss, who was speaking ahead of this afternoon’s William Hill Scottish cup tie against Inverness at Dens, said: “No bids have come into the club for Jack Hendry.

“There is clear interest in him from more than one club. Celtic are interested, clearly, but there is other interest.”

When asked if he expected to keep Hendry beyond the transfer window, McCann said: “I would like to keep him and I expect to keep Jack if the bids are not substantial.

“I came into this job and I think we have done well with recruitment but I am just starting something. Long gone are the days where the club are just going to accept poor offers for exceptional talent.

“I am going to be driving that, making sure that if players do leave Dens, they will go for good sums which hopefully will help me rebuild the side.”

McCann who has signed French keeper Jeremy Malherbe and extended the deals of Jon Aurtenetxe and A-Jay Leitch-Smith already this month is hopeful there may be further new arrivals before the transfer window closes.

He added: “I want to do some business and I am delighted we have managed to extend the contracts of the boys we have done.

“But I have a couple of players I am keen on that would help the squad and boost it but I am not prepared to just jump in. I want to take my time, make sure they are right and do my homework. I am hopeful.

“It is only my second window and I am finding this one a really interesting one.”

No one at Dens needs reminding that it is more than 100 years since the club lifted the Scottish Cup.

McCann knows how difficult it will be to end that hoodoo but he has told his players they have to believe they can.

McCann said: “The Scottish Cup is massive having experienced it myself, winning five out of six.

“That’s what I have told the players that it is a special thing to be involved in.

“It is the last game of the season and most players are already away on their holidays but they would all like to be at Hampden.

“So that’s what I have said to the