Dundee have told forward Zak Rudden and long-serving defender Cammy Kerr they are free to leave Dens Park after not featuring in Saturday's clash with Kilmarnock. (The Courier, external)
Image source, SNSThere is a small glimmer of hope for Dundee fans - the Dark Blues are the only team Owen Beck can now play for this season outside of Liverpool.
The left-back has been heavily linked with teams including Celtic during this transfer window, but a move to another club will not happen now after he featured for Jurgen Klopp's side in their Premier League game against Bournemouth.
A Fifa rule means players are not able to play for more than two teams each season.
With that rule in place, the defender could still return to the Dark Blues, if Liverpool want to send him back out on loan.
Image source, .We asked for your thoughts after Dundee's defeat to Kilmarnock in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.
Here's a taste of what you had to say:
Anon: Disgraceful today. Regardless of injuries everyone bar the manager knew that line-up wasn't going to work before kick-off. Costelloe continuing the form that saw him dropped by St Johnstone didn't help either.
Kevin: Completely picked the wrong team but I can understand the selection with the number of games we now have to catch up on.
David: We have strikers at the club who don't score goals and we stick with them. Rudden is dire, Bakayoko offers nothing and yet the one finisher we have in Zach Robinson can't get a game.
Gary: The team selection was baffling. Given we’d not really played for almost three weeks, why not approach it with your "strongest" available XI - or at least the most settled - playing what you have available to their strengths if you really want to make a go of it? Chucked it.
Watch highlights of Kilmarnock's Scottish Cup win against Dundee
Tony Docherty were unhappy with the 'calamitous' start by his side, which left his side with 'a mountain to climb'.
Dundee fans, what did you make of your side's display at Rugby Park as they crashed out of the Scottish Cup?
Have your say on the game here.
Image source, SNSDundee manager Tony Docherty: "It was calamitous in the first three minutes - we lose the cup tie in three minutes.
"We scored a good goal, but the referee disallows the goal, which I find hard. I have to credit the players because they gave everything, but it was too much of a mountain to climb.
"To lose two goals in that manner is very disappointing. We gave ourselves too much to do against a good team.
"Now it's onto league business, we'll lick our wounds and get ready for Tynecastle."
Image source, Getty ImagesDundee have announced the signing of Burnley full-back Owen Dodgson on loan until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old spent the first half of this season on loan at English League One side Barnsley, contributing two assists in ten league games.
“I am absolutely delighted to get Owen Dodgson through the door," manager Tony Docherty said.
"He is someone that our recruitment team have been monitoring since the summer and we were big admirers of him and we wanted to bring him to the club.
"He ended up going to Barnsley for the first half of the season, but when we became aware that there was a possibility we could sign him in January, we did everything we could to bring him to the club.
"There were four or five teams down south and in Scotland that wanted to sign him in this window so we are extremely pleased that we have managed to convince him to come to Dundee."
Image source, SNSShaun Byrne has been a regular in the Raith Rovers side that sit second in the Scottish Championship
Midfielder Shaun Byrne and defender Tyler French have not been recalled to Dundee from their loan spells at Raith Rovers and Greenock Morton.
Both players will now remain with their loan club till the end of the season.
Byrne has appeared for Raith, who sit second in the Scottish Championship, 23 times this season.
French has played 16 games at fellow second tier side Morton.
Image source, SNSAfter months of Tony Docherty trying to secure his services, Curtis Main is back in Scottish football.
The striker spoke about why he decided to make the move to Indian Super League club Bengaluru, how the experience impacted him, and why he returned to Scotland to "build something special" at Dundee.
"Obviously [playing abroad] is completely different to what I have experienced previously so it has made me look at things completely differently," Main said. "There are so many different challenges and different changes in terms of how things are done and for me personally it can only be a benefit going out there and experiencing all those different things, and hopefully I can use those different experiences as a positive moving forward.
"It has always been something I have been keen to do, to go and experience playing abroad. I have got a lot of friends, current players and players that have retired, and a number of them have said they regret not going and playing and experiencing, not just the football, but the experience, just the whole thing that comes with it.
"So, when the opportunity came up it was what I had been wanting for a little while, and that was the first opportunity I had really had to do that, so that was the key thing - I wasn’t sure if the opportunity would come again and it was too good to turn down.
"That’s why I left in the first place, in terms of coming back, the manager that signed me over there, he is now gone. He has been replaced and a new coach has come in and the club decided to go in a different direction. It happens a lot, managers come and go and they bring players, and players leave, that is the way football is sometimes.
"I am delighted to be back in Scottish football and really looking forward to building something special at Dundee."
Dundee aren't done in the transfer window yet, says manager Tony Docherty - despite securing his third signing of the month when Ryan Astley arrived from Everton. (The Courier)
Read the rest of Friday's gossip.
Image source, SNSOwen Beck was a standout performer during his loan spell at Dundee
Dundee's latest recruit Ryan Astley has revealed that Owen Beck endorsed his move to Dens Park.
Beck, who has the same agent as Astley, spent the first half of this season on loan at Dundee from Liverpool before being recalled earlier this month.
“It feels amazing to sign for the club and I’m really looking forward to being here," Astley told the club's official website.
“I spoke with the gaffer last week and I really liked what he had to say and how I can help the team.
“Since then it has been slowly happening and I got the call yesterday to travel up to Dundee.
“I know Owen Beck as we have the same agent, so I spoke with Owen a few days ago and he was full of praise for the club, the staff, the players, and everything about it and that sealed it for me, I knew I wanted to sign for Dundee.
“I can’t wait to train with my new team-mates and to play in front of the Dundee supporters.”
Image source, Getty ImagesAstley made 32 appearances on loan at Accrington last season, and scored four goals
Dundee have announced the signing of defender Ryan Astley from Everton for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half year deal.
The 22-year-old never made a first-team appearance for Everton after coming through their academy, but impressed last season on loan with Accrington Stanley in League One.
“I am delighted that we have been able to bring Ryan to Dundee," manager Tony Docherty said.
"Ryan is one that we have done extensive scouting on and we feel that he will fit in very well here.
"He’s an old-school defender who enjoys defending and we think he can enhance the squad that we have here.”
Image source, SNSTyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland
Dundee manager Tony Docherty says a Scottish Cup run would make up for their "really unfortunate" failure to progress in the Viaplay Cup earlier in the season.
The Dark Blues missed out on the knockout stages on goals scored after winning three of their four group games.
They face very difficult Scottish Cup fourth-round assignment at fellow Premiership side Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Docherty said: "When I first came into the job there were only three signed players so in terms of assembling a squad and going in to the League Cup group stages, it was maybe a little bit early.
"But I do think we were really unfortunate because I think we were the only team that amassed the points we amassed and not qualify.
"That is gone, but a Scottish Cup run would make up for that. We have a really difficult game ahead of us but if we apply ourselves like the previous two encounters against Kilmarnock, it will be terrific game and hopefully we can edge it."
Both sides have enjoyed a fine first half to the Scottish Premiership season and have already contested two 2-2 draws.
So you can see why Docherty believes this weekend's game is "the tie of the round".
"I don’t think you would get a more difficult one outwith the Old Firm than Kilmarnock away from home on their pitch," he said.
"We have just played them, so we know the task ahead of us and we know we are going to have to be at our best and do a lot of things right to progress."
Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland
Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media ahead of his side’s weekend Scottish Cup fourth round trip to Kilmarnock, here is what he had to say.
Says outside the Old Firm, Kilmarnock away is probably the toughest game they could have got, and is in his opinion, "the tie of the round".
After being "really unfortunate" not to progress from the Viaplay Cup group stages at the start of the season, he says he does not see any reason why they can't make real inroads in to the Scottish Cup, particularly with the strides they are making at the moment.
On new signing Curtis Main, admits he "tried to get him in the summer" and has highlighted his "real winning mentality".
Would not be drawn on other signing targets, but when asked about Everton defender Ryan Astley, who has been linked with a move to Dens Park, he said "amongst others" he is a player they have identified.
Team news: Antonio Portales and Diego Pineda are out injured, while Ricki Lamie and Aaron Donnelly are doubts.
Image source, SNS
