JIM SPENCE: Jort van der Sande could be player Dundee United fans thought they were getting in Tony Watt

Dundee United legend Freddie Van Der Hoorn sent me a picture of him looking very happy at the Old Course at St Andrews yesterday.

He wasn’t here on a golfing holiday though. He was accompanying his client and latest United signing, Jort van der Sande, who has agreed a two-year deal at Tannadice.

I’ve stayed in touch with Freddie over the years and he tells me he has high hopes that Jort will deliver.

The signing of a man who scored 13 times in 39 appearances for ADO den Haag last season, who can play with a 9 or 10 on his shirt, and offers threat from wide areas makes me wonder what the future is for Tony Watt.

‘Planning for life after Tony Watt?’

Van der Sande sounds like a similar type of player to Watt, who between his hefty wages and inability to command a start in this season’s opening three league cup games, looks like a player with limited prospects at Tannadice.

Whether another club will be prepared to relieve United of the financial burden of a highly paid player who appears to have a future of warming the bench is a moot point, but he’s too expensive to the club to be inactive.

With boss Jim Goodwin praising Van der Sande’s scoring record and link-up play it sounds like United are gaining the type of player many fans thought they were getting when Watt initially signed.

Jim Goodwin is rebuilding his side and I suspect planning for life after Watt.

With a year left on his contract and a ready-made replacement in place, a parting of the ways looks inevitable and in the best interests of both player and club.