Goodwin eyes European return with 'big rebuild'

Goodwin took Dundee United back up to the top flight and secured a fourth-place finish on their return

Manager Jim Goodwin is embarking on another "big rebuild" with Dundee United as he aims to repeat the success of last season at Tannadice.

On their return to the Scottish Premiership, United finished fourth but the squad is already much-changed, with seven new signings and the promise of more to come.

The two latest arrivals, wing-back Dario Naamo and midfielder Isaac Pappoe, are loan deals, although Goodwin is keen on lessening the club's reliance on such arrangements.

Across last season, United had six players on loan, including top scorer Sam Dalby and goalkeeper Jack Walton, while Luca Stephenson and Emmanuel Adegboyega each made 34 appearances.

"It seems to be one big rebuild after another," he told BBC Sport Scotland.

"I feel it's the way it's been for probably the last five or six years of my managerial career.

"It would be nice to go into next summer and only need three or four players. But that doesn't ever seem to happen.

"We relied heavily on the loan market last year, which is something that we're trying to change a little bit.

"We've signed a number of players on permanent contracts already. But we've got a job on our hands to put a squad together that's going to make us as competitive as possible in the league first and foremost.

"But also we want to compete in all the other competitions and we have the Europa Conference qualifier, that first competitive game at the end of this month."

Having enjoyed an impressive return to the top flight last season, Goodwin is out to emulate that success.

"Our points return in the opening 11 fixtures was really good," he reflected. "I think since August last year we never dropped out of that top half.

"The objective changes as the season goes along but the fact we finished fourth, everybody, from a Dundee United perspective, would want us to be at least in that top six and competing for those European places.

"We're not stupid. We understand how difficult that's going to be, especially when you see the kind of investment that's been made in some of the other clubs."