Instead, the Dark Blues gaffer is likely to offer targeted players the chance to come to Dens on trial once pre-season gets in full swing in just under a fortnight.

“Like other clubs, we don’t have much room for manoeuvre, that’s the honest truth of the situation, but what is in our favour is there are a lot of decent players looking for clubs,” said Gordon.

“That gives me the chance to say to people they can come in, train with us and play a couple of games to let them show they’re worth a contract.

“It’s a wee bit of a gamble in that there is always the chance one or two I’m interested in will get fixed up elsewhere, but I think it’s the best way to go.”

And he confirmed his net would be cast far and wide, meaning there is a distinct possibility of foreigners arriving in the next few weeks.

That could include any players former Dens star Dusan Vrto recommends from the leagues in his native Slovakia.

“There are also players I’ve targeted myself.

“However, if we get people recommended to us, we will certainly have a look at them and if they’re from abroad it’s not a problem,” he added.

The likelihood of an influx of trialists will also mean a big chunk of Dundee’s pre-season is conducted behind closed doors.

“We’ve got games at Arbroath and Forfar that’ll be open to the public and, until we drew them in the cup, we were going to play Montrose — but there’ll be a few others that are bounce games.

“We’re going down to play Hibs at their training ground and we’ve a game with St Johnstone in the pipeline, and I’m talking to a couple of other teams as well.

“The reason they won’t be open to the fans is not so much to do with secrecy as with not wanting to ask punters to pay to watch games where there might be a lot of chopping and changing.”

A friendly with Lincoln City was also in the pipeline, but the English side have had to cancel their trip north after problems getting booked up with accommodation and training facilities in St Andrews because of The Open Championship.