Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
New boy Danny help Dee return
NEW Dundee striker Danny Mullen is out to prove himself at Dens Park after signing a two-year deal with the club.
Having won the Championship with St Mirren after leaving a Livingston side destined for the Premiership themselves, Mullen has pedigree in the second tier.
And he’s looking to show that in dark blue when the season gets going in October.
Speaking to Dee TV, he said: “I’m buzzing to be here. It’s been a long time coming. I can’t wait to get started and meet all the boys.
“Now I’m here I want to prove to the manager and prove to the team I can help the club get where they want to be.
“I know the league well, I’ve done well in the league before and I can see myself doing well at a club like this. It’s a massive club and the players here are top quality so I’m really forward to getting going.”
The 25-year-old came very close to joining James McPake’s men back in January, only for time to run out at the end of the transfer window.
And he says knowing the Dens boss has been an admirer for some time helped make the decision to sign up for the Dee six months later.
He added: “It was really close, just didn’t quite work out, but I’m here now and happy to be here.
“I think it’s half the battle being at a club that the manager likes you.”
Mullen, who will wear the No 9 jersey, will already have won over some fans after his play-off goal helped keep the Buddies in the Premiership at the end of season 2018-19 at the expense of local rivals Dundee United.
Meanwhile, former Dens loan ace Christophe Berra insists he is ready to revive his Hearts career after being unceremoniously axed by former boss Daniel Stendel.
Berra, 35, remains baffled by the German’s decision to strip him of the captaincy and farm him out on loan to Dundee in January, emphasising that he was willing to fight for his place.
He was excellent for McPake’s side, who kept five clean sheets in six games featuring the veteran stopper.
But Berra will go up against Dee with the Jambos in the Championship this season after reporting back for duty following the shutdown with renewed confidence.
The defender, who is contracted to Hearts until next summer, is determined to battle his way into the plans of returning head coach Robbie Neilson, his ex-Tynecastle team-mate, and prove that age is no barrier.