| First thing, plans to have the long-time target at Dens to pen his new three-year contract at lunchtime were in severe doubt after it emerged he still had an issue to address with the Jags.
By mid-morning, though, that had been resolved and the 24-year-old was whisked from Glasgow to Dundee to be paraded before the waiting media.
Harkins is signing No. 9 in a summer of furious activity and, hot on the heels of last week’s capture of teenager Leigh Griffiths from Livingston, takes Dark Blues backer Calum Melville’s lay-out on transfer fees alone to around £250,000.
More importantly for boss Jocky Scott, today’s events mean he has his No. 1 target.
He views Griffiths as a player with great potential, but sees Harkins as a man who can have an immediate and positive impact on the Dark Blues’ promotion drive in the new season.
After weeks of speculation, Harkins was delighted to finally secure his future, and admitted the summer signings at Dens had been a major factor in his decision to come.
“I think Dundee have shown they are going to have a right serious go at winning the First Division and I wanted to be part of that,” he said.
“I am glad everything’s done now and I’m just looking forward to getting out and starting to work with my new team-mates.”
While Harkins was driving across country, his new team-mates were hard at work again and, although temperatures were soaring into the 80s on the training pitch, there was little sympathy for their plight from gaffer Jocky.
“It is hot, but they’ve been coping well and doing all the work, and it is much better than training in the rain,” he said. |
