Mann had been a regular starter at Dens since previous boss Jim Duffy fixed him up in the summer of 2004, but late last month he was dropped to the bench and has struggled to regain his place in the team.

With less than six months of his contract to run, the big Dundonian is already free to speak to other clubs with a view to moving on in the summer and Dundee feel it’s only right that he be allowed to move on now if a suitable offer for his services is forthcoming.

“Bobby came to see us this morning and, after thinking over his request, we have decided to listen to offers for him,” said Davie Farrell today.

“I thought he might have wanted to stay and fight to get back in the team, but he wants to seek pastures new and I can understand that, at his age, he feels he has to be playing regularly.”

Mann has already been linked with a move to Peterhead, where he would team up with Steve Paterson, his old boss at Inverness Caley Thistle, as well as former Dens team-mate Callum Macdonald, who was released from Dens just yesterday in order to make his loan move to the north-east a permanent switch.

Today, several members of the squad who live out of town did not make it to training because of blizzard conditions.

“The Glasgow and Edinburgh boys had a nightmare journey. The gaffer and I did make it from Glasgow, but the players who were travelling up were still at Stirling at 11 o’clock so we told them to turn back and do some work on their own this afternoon,” added Davie.

Dundee will travel to face Airdrie on Saturday, February 3 (KO 3 pm). The game was originally scheduled for last week, but was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.