Dundee boss Paul Hartley is cautiously optimistic that he will have added to his squad before the week is out.
The Dens manager is keeping his cards close to his chest over the identity of the potential target however he would confirm that the player can fill different roles.
Hartley said: “We are fairly close to bringing in a free agent. He is a centre-half/midfielder, a little bit of a utility man.
“Hopefully, it will be good news in the next couple of days.
“We would then have him training with the squad so he would be ready for the January period which is a heavy schedule for us.”
Hartley could certainly do with reinforcements with his squad decimated at the moment because of illness and injury.
Simon Ferry and Kevin Thomson had to come off against Partick Thistle at the weekend, while Kevin McBride was injured in the warm-up.
Greg Stewart also picked up a knock in that game while keeper Scott Bain missed out altogether, with Kyle Letheren taking his place between the sticks.
Hartley revealed that Bain has been playing through the pain barrier for weeks and has now been sent for a scan with the manager already resigned to being without him again this weekend when St Mirren visit Dens.
He said: “Ferry took a knock on his ankle at Partick. Thommo had to come off as he was feeling ill.
“Stewart also took a knock on his ankle and McBride has a thigh problem.
“Scott is away for a scan on his shoulder. He has been playing with this for five weeks but it just got too much for him.
“He hasn’t really trained in that period of time so we will found out more after the scan.
“There is better news on Paul McGowan and Peaso (Peter MacDonald) has started back training but he is still a couple of weeks away.
“It is what it is but it just seems to have been one thing after another.
“We have not had our strongest team on the park yet but it is the way it goes sometimes.
“Hopefully, we can get them back as soon as we can as it is a big period coming up over the next five or six weeks.
“Scott will be a major doubt for the St Mirren game however, I think McGowan, Stewart and Thommo will be all right for Saturday. Gary Harkins will be back from suspension but he has also had an illness.”