Dundee boss James McPake is moving to bring striker Simon Murray back to the club.
We revealed this week that the former Dark Blues, Dundee United and Hibs man was on the lookout for a return to Scottish football this summer when his Bidvest Wits deal comes to an end.
Murray has endured a tough season down in South Africa after damaging his cruciate ligament early in the season and has been out of action since the autumn.
Wits have made sure the Dundonian gets through his rehab OK and have agreed to terminate the deal in the summer after signing a replacement. South African Premier League rules allow only a limited number of foreign players, meaning there is no place left for Murray in the squad when play restarts.
And a Dens Park comeback could on the cards when football restarts after the coronavirus shutdown once he is back to full fitness.
McPake said: “I have spoken to Simon. He came in and used the gym over the Christmas period to help his rehab. He’s now at his end stage and can play in June.
“He’s a good player and a good guy, we all know he’s a mad Dundee fan and I think he watches all the games.
“I had said to him to come in when he’s back to train so he’s somebody I like a lot anyway.”
Murray spent six months on loan at Dens Park at the end of the 2017/18 season after a transfer triangle between Celtic, Hibs and Dundee with Scott Bain, Scott Allan and Murray involved.
The frontman scored three league goals, including a memorable double at Firhill against eventually-relegated Partick Thistle, as he helped Neil McCann’s side stay in the top flight.
He moved to Johannesburg-based Wits in July 2018 for an undisclosed fee after returning to Hibs where he has scored eight goals in 27 appearances before his knee injury curtailed this season early.
Meanwhile, the Dundee boss and his staff are currently coming to terms with the Covid-19 shutdown and trying to work from home.
There are so many unknowns right now, not least where players whose contracts are due to run out in around two months’ time stand.
At Dens Park, club captain Josh Meekings, experienced midfielder Paul McGowan and young left-back Tom Field are all in the final months of their contracts with no sign yet of the 2019/20 season restarting.
Right-sided player Christie Elliott’s deal also comes to an end in June but there is the option of a year’s extension.
McPake says the uncertainty isn’t helpful for anyone right now but realises there is a far bigger picture here than just concentrating on football as society gets to grips with the coronavirus pandemic.
He added: “It’s uncharted territory for every club for a lot of things.
“Every club will be getting asked about this so I think until we get further guidelines from the SPFL or SFA, it’s a case of waiting to see what happens.
“Hopefully, we are back playing but, at the end of the day, as much as my job is all about football, it is unimportant in regards to what’s going on across the world.
“It is a game after all and there are people really unwell with this virus.
“As a football club, we applaud everything the NHS staff and key workers are doing.
“Hopefully, we can get this right and get it under control, however long it takes and not too many people are impacted in a severe way because it’s really worrying times for everybody.”
