‘We have to accept’: Dundee boss resigned to summer exit for £1.5m talent as Portsmouth, Rangers and Celtic circle
Pompey had a number of bids rejected by Dundee for central defender Luke Graham in the January transfer window.
Dundee boss Steven Pressley has conceded January Pompey target Luke Graham will likely depart the Scottish Premiership outfit this summer.
But the head coach has stressed the Dark Blues won’t part with the 22-year-old unless they receive an acceptable fee for his signature.
The central defender was on the radar of the football operations at Fratton Park during the January window as John Mousinho’s men looked to strengthen at the heart of the backline.
Pompey’s pursuit proved unsuccessful, however, with the Scottish Premiership outfit holding firm on the defender, who is regarded as one of Scotland’s top emerging talents.
After a failed bid to lure him to the south coast, reports north of the border have already tipped Dens Park ace with a move to Celtic and Rangers, while Sheffield United and QPR were credited with an interest in January.
Graham, who is set to enter the final 12 months of his deal this summer, has been in impressive form for Pressley’s side this term registering 36 appearances to date.
The central defender has been an ever-present fixture at Dens Park this term, spearheading the Dark Blues’ survival bid in Scotland’s top flight.
Dundee boss on Pompey target Luke Graham’s future
But with his stock firmly on the rise, Pressley has reigned to the thought of an exit for the academy graduate at the end of the season, with the likes of Pompey, Celtic, Rangers and more circling.
Speaking to The Courier, the Dundee boss said: ‘He’s been outstanding for us, he really has. He’s been a real standout. He’s grown week after week.
‘Our biggest problem, it’s obvious, is trying to hold on to him or trying to replace him. That’s going to be the hardest part of the summer. It may be the case that we just have to enjoy him while he’s here.
‘I think that it’s the nature of the way football works that we’re not the only selling club. There’s maybe only one or two clubs in the world that aren’t selling clubs. We have to accept that.
‘But as the club have shown over the January window that Luke Graham won’t be leaving unless we get the fee that we think is acceptable and reflects his value. And that seems to grow by the game.’
John Mousinho on Luke Graham
Pompey were strong admirers of Graham in January, with Dundee rejecting several bids for his services.
‘We will see what the situation is with those players,’ he told The News in February.
‘It’s like Gustavo (Caballero). We missed out on Gustavo in the summer, so we kept an eye on that because we obviously liked the player. We said we’ll see how it pans out over the next three or four months.
‘It happens and that’s absolutely fine (deals aren’t completed), but you never know what could happen at the end back end of the season.
‘We’ll always monitor it and keep an eye on things. Whatever way it goes, we’ve done a lot of work on a lot of these players - so we will keep an eye on their situations.’