Transfer chase set to hot up for Portsmouth target Luke Graham in race with Celtic and Rangers
The likes of Celtic, Rangers, Sheffield United and Lincoln City are also said to be keen on the Dundee man wanted by Pompey.
Dundee are expecting the transfer hunt for Pompey target Luke Graham to accelerate this summer.
And the SPL outfit’s technical manager has detailed how they turned down ‘really good bids’ with the money offered ‘very high’, as the Blues chased the emerging defender in January.
Dundee chief details transfer outlook for Luke Graham
Graham was a prime target in the winter window, with Pompey offers which started at £1.5m being knocked back for the 22-year-old.
Dundee stood firm, however, with the view taken they needed to keep the player, as they fight for their place in the top flight.
Rangers and Celtic have now reportedly joined the race for Graham, with the likes of Lincoln City and Sheffield United also said to be keen.
Pompey are maintaining their interest, while being aware the competition for the player will be stiff moving forward.
Dundee’s technical manager, David Longwell, sees the pursuit of Graham kicking into gear again this summer.
He told the Daily Record: ‘I would be gobsmacked if there is not a lot more interest in him in the summer. In my opinion, knowing the quality he has, there will be a lot of interest in him.
‘Clubs come in and put in really good bids. We have been and are still in a fight to stay in the league. We has good conversations with John (Nelms) and we could easily have just taken the money, but we didn’t think it was right for the boy or us at that time because of the situation we were in.
‘We felt we would be strong and keep him. The money we were offered was very high and we have to give John a lot of credit. Our opinion, the manager and myself, is that we didn’t let him go, keep him for his own development and for the team. We needed him.
‘Luke has been absolutely brilliant dealing with that, look at other high profile players they start to kick up a fuss, but Luke has been magnificent.
‘The amount of speculation before the St Mirren and Celtic games but the boy went out there and his performances were unbelievable.
‘I can’t give him enough credit for the way he conducts himself and how mature he is for his age.’
Longwell alluded to Pompey’s interest and how keen they were to bring in Graham, while acknowledging the reality is the Scotland under-21 will likely move on to further his career.
He added: ‘Every player, at some point, has to progress in whatever that might look like. I was a little bit surprised that the clubs in Scotland weren’t actively looking.
‘They probably have him highlighted because there has been a lot of interest from down south. In the (English) Championship, in particular, there was a team who were really keen to get him.
‘There was various bits of interest. It had to be right for us and it wasn’t. Also for the boy, I genuinely think he could go on to a really good level.
‘I have been fortunate enough to work with some talented young players in the past, like John McGinn, Kenny McLean and Lewis Morgan.
‘I look at Luke and I see so many similarities in the qualities they possess. I’ve said that to Luke. ‘He still has to work hard, keep improving and keep looking after himself.
‘He can play at a good level, he really could. We just need to wait until the summer and see what comes.’