| And, even before the 18-year-old had boarded the flight back to Scotland that will enable him to complete his switch tomorrow, the Tele understands the Dark Blues signing efforts had, once again, turned to Partick Thistle’s Gary Harkins.
After a week of lengthy and difficult talks, last night Melville at last struck a deal with Livi’s Italian owner Angelo Massone.
That led to Griffiths having one of the shortest holidays ever.
He flew to Cyprus for a week-long break only yesterday after it had appeared his move to Dens Park had fallen through in the early hours of yesterday because of late interest from Hearts.
A Hibs fan, he refused to contemplate a move to Tynecastle and went on his holiday instead, only to be told on arriving in Ayia Napa that he’d have to arrange a flight home because the deal with Dundee was back on.
He is due to touch down in Scotland this evening and will report to Dens first thing tomorrow to put pen to paper.
Director Melville, who is bankrolling the deal, was delighted to report the end of a saga, that stretches back two months and has involved intense work over the last week, was finally in sight.
“It’s not been easy and it’s taken a bit of time, but we have reached agreement with Angelo Massone and I now expect Leigh Griffiths to be joining us tomorrow,” he told the Tele.
“Everything had already been agreed with the player, so it should now be a case of getting him here to sign his contract and he should be on a flight that gets him back tonight.
“Once it’s all done, we’ll be delighted, because he is a player Jocky (Scott) rates very highly and was keen to bring here.”
The same can be said for Thistle play-maker Harkins, and lines of communication concerning him have been re-opened.
With the Jags adamant they won’t lower their asking price of £175,000 and insisting they don’t have to sell, that’s another deal that is likely to take some time to conclude.
While that’s happening, and Griffiths is being unveiled as the biggest transfer between two Scottish clubs so far this summer, midfielder Brian Kerr is also due to sign up over the weekend. |
