United begin rebuilding with capture of Keatings

Dundee United manager Ray McKinnon wants to do his transfer business as early as possible after snapping up James Keatings on a precontract.

The Tangerines handed themselves a big boost ahead of tonight’s Premiership play-off quarter-final first leg against Morton by signing the Hibs frontman on a two-year deal.

The 25-year-old has put his faith in United despite not knowing whether they will be playing Championship or Premiership football next season.

They kick-off their promotion bid down at Cappielow this evening and Keatings has given them a huge vote of confidence ahead of those crucial clashes.

McKinnon, who has also been linked with Inverness Caley Thistle’s Billy King, was delighted to get such an important bit of business done so early and he aims to keep it going.

The manager said: “We are looking to next season.

“There is a certain type of player we are looking at and there is an age bracket we are looking at.

“We need to restructure the team completely, we feel. We think there’s a lot of work to be done.

“We’ve obviously started recruitment side of it.

“We are trying to get a lot of our business done so we are not rushing around in the middle of July and August trying to find players that other teams do not want.” that