That won’t just be good news for the blue half of the city, because it’s understood the near-£500,000 Bennett will net from the deal will go straight into the coffers at United.

Less than a year after quitting Tannadice and then expressing an interest in buying Dundee lock, stock and barrel, only to pull out at the last minute, Bennett will be back as a Tangerines director by the beginning of next week.

United have lodged the necessary paperwork with the SFA and, although it’s understood the ruling body are uncomfortable with his existing links to another club, as no rules have been breached there should be no grounds for them to block the switch.

Those links to Dundee — he bought the ground to help finance the deal that saw them wipe out their £7 million debt with troubled bankers HBOS — look certain to be short term.

And, while Bennett is just days away from being in an opposition camp, Dens director Melville was keen to highlight how much he had helped Dundee.

“I think the first thing to say is everyone at Dundee is 100% relaxed about John being back on the Dundee United board when he still owns Dens Park,” said the multi-millionaire Aberdeen oilman.

“He wants to sell Dens and I want to buy it. I would say that, in three weeks, maximum, the deal will be done.

“I’ve reached the stage of getting a survey done this Friday and that tells you how far down the road we are.”

Melville was also quick to dismiss conspiracy theories that Bennett would now use his ownership of a rival club’s ground to put pressure on them.

“I think what everyone should remember is that John Bennett did Dundee a very big favour when he bought the stadium.

“As well as the money that he put in, right now we are operating rent free and it was a terrific deal for the club. He has always acted with the best intentions and what he did should not be forgotten.”

For their part, only once all the paperwork has been completed will Dundee United officially welcome Bennett back to Tannadice.