Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara has handed trialist Patrick O’Shaughnessy the chance to impress.
Finnish-born of Irish descent, O’Shaughnessy has played six times for Finland’s under-21 side, including against an England side that featured Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling in Milton Keynes in 2013 – a match that also saw his brother Daniel feature for the Scandinavian side.
The 21-year-old right-sided defender has already featured in a bounce match for the Tangerines and will be given every opportunity to show what he can do.
McNamara said: “He is just a young lad who only arrived last night before playing in a bounce game.
“It is just to have a look at him at the moment.”
It has been a busy time at United, with Simon Murray recruited at the weekend and a verbal bid from Sheffield United for Gary Mackay-Steven – understood to be under £150,000 – rejected by the club.
McNamara said: “It is not an official bid more verbal, a case of them testing the water.
“I am not surprised because he has been very good the last few games.
“Hopefully, he can keep that going until the end of the season as a Dundee United player.
“We know he can go for nothing but he has scored three goals for us in the last couple of matches so that’s valuable to the team.
“He wants a shot at England and I can understand that and I hope he gets what he wants eventually.
“Meantime, he can do a good for us because he has been a great servant to the club.”
New boy Murray has been loaned back to Arbroath until the end of the season but joined in full-time training with his new United clubmates at St Andrews yesterday.
McNamara admitted he has taken something of a “gamble” in signing a player form the lower leagues but it is one he is more than willing to take.
He said: “We have done bits of business recently, as you saw with the Simon Murray signing.
“I hope, first and foremost, that he brings us goals.
“Anyone you bring in from the lower leagues is a bit of a gamble but I think, from what we have seen at this club, boys can kick on after joining us.
“We have seen that with Andy Robertson, Blair Spittal and Aidan Connolly, who were with Queen’s Park.
“There are players out there for clubs like United.”
Interestingly, McNamara also feels United have done a great bit of business in signing midfielder Charlie Telfer, despite the Tangerines having just paid the sizeable sum of £204,000 in compensation to Rangers for the midfielder.
“We have had Charlie come in from Rangers, which although done in the summer is really now coming to the fore because of his form.
“You can see what he has been like over the last wee while.
“He is coming on and we are delighted with him.
“I think that is going to turn out to be a real bargain for us.”
United’s next game is against Hamilton Accies, the team that jumped over them into third spot on Sunday.
The Tangerines will be without central defensive pair Callum Morris and John Souttar for Monday night’s trip to New Douglas Park.
However, midfielder Paul Paton may be available.
McNamara said: “Callum Morris has Achilles and calf problems. He is still struggling and may be out for Monday.
“John Souttar has had a little setback with the ankle.
“We have talked it over with the doctor and we think it will be better to leave him out for a few weeks.
“Paul is back training. When he got the three-match suspension we thought it would be wise to give him a wee injection in his knee as that has been an ongoing thing with him.
“It was the ideal chance to get him rested and now he’s back with us.”