'A lot of calls' - Dundee boss makes transfer admission about Sheffield United-linked defender
Sheffield United are continuing to be linked with talented Dundee defender Luke Graham.
Dundee head coach Steven Pressley has admitted there is “a lot of interest” in centre-back Luke Graham amid reports linking him with a summer move to Sheffield United.
The Blades, who issued their retained list earlier this week, were first linked with Graham back in January alongside Championship counterparts Portsmouth and QPR. He has since been linked with several other clubs including Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers.
Graham, who has just over a year left on his Dundee contract, played a starring role in helping the Dens Park outfit successfully preserve their Scottish Premiership status this season, making 40 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with three goals.
The centre-back, who can also operate at left-back, recently admitted he was unsure about his future amid mounting interest in his signature, revealing he was getting “a bit fed up” with frequent questions about his next move.
However, boss Pressley, who conceded earlier this year that Dundee may be powerless in their attempts to keep Graham this summer, has confirmed interest is ramping up in the 22-year-old.
Pressley, as quoted by Glasgow World, said: “Listen, we don’t know how things will go over the summer. But what we do know is there is a lot of interest. A lot of interest.
“We have taken a lot of calls. This might have been the last time Dundee supporters see him in our shirt.
“I think his performances and how he has gone about things has been an example to everybody. He has handled the pressure that comes with speculation.”
United, as things currently stand, are short on options at centre-back ahead of next season following the departures of Ben Mee, who has announced his retirement, and Tyler Bindon, who has returned to Nottingham Forest following the end of his loan spell at Bramall Lane.
Japhet Tanganga and Mark McGuinness are the only senior centre-backs currently available to boss Chris Wilder while uncertainty surrounds the future of 21-year-old Nils Zätterström, who joined the club last summer. He is currently out on loan at Italian side Genoa, and they have the option to sign him on a permanent basis in this summer’s transfer window.