Tony Docherty determined to keep Lyall Cameron at Dundee beyond transfer window

Tony Docherty remains hopeful that influential midfielder Lyall Cameron will remain a Dundee player beyond the transfer deadline on Monday night.

The homegrown 22-year-old is out of contract this summer and has been linked with Rangers and Aberdeen.

While the Scotland Under-21 midfielder is able to talk to other clubs about a pre-contract, Dark Blues manager Docherty hopes to hold on to Cameron for the remainder of this season.

“Not to my knowledge,” he said when asked on Wednesday if there had been any bids. “As always, he’s just had a brilliant training day. He puts everything into his training.

“Lyall is a Dundee player until somebody tells me different. He’s still in the building, and I’m pleased about that.

“You’re always going to get suitors if your players are doing well, and Lyall is an example of that. But hopefully we can just get through to (the end of) that window…

“There is more chances of Dundee winning games with Lyall Cameron in it, so hopefully that will be the case come Monday.”

Dundee have signed four players this month – Imari Samuels, Aaron Donnelly, Cesar Garza and Victor Lopez – and Docherty did not rule out further additions.

“There’s five days to go so there’s a lot can happen,” he said. “For now, I’m really pleased with the ones we’ve brought in. As a recruitment team, we’re very robust in our process and we’ll look at areas where we’ll maybe look to strengthen.”

Docherty, whose squad has been hit hard by injuries over the winter, has been boosted by the return to contention of Joe Shaughnessy, Ziyad Larkeche, Jordan McGhee, Antonio Portales and Charlie Reilly.

“This week’s training’s really gone up a notch because as well as the four additions we’ve brought in, all the injuries outwith Scott Fraser and Billy Koumetio have returned,” he said.

“This week is the first time I’ve had 11 v 11 all season, so it’s great. It’s almost like new signings getting Joe, Ziyad, Jordan, Antonio and Charlie all back on the training ground. There’s a real buzz about the place.”