Looking for a new Bauben: Peter Houston is assessing trialists in the hope he strikes gold again. Pic: © SNS Group
Dundee United have taken PSV Eindhoven youth Nigel Hasselbaink on trial at Tannadice. The player is the nephew of Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, who played for Leeds United, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea amongst others.
The Scottish Cup winners have taken the player on following advice from the same sources that unearthed Prince Buaben, who signing has proved to be a success for the Tangerines. Hasselbaink played as a trialist in the friendly win over Raith Rovers on Tuesday night along with Nigerian teenager Johnbull Omoregie.
United manager Peter Houston said he was keen to take an extended look at both players before making a decision on a contract but that they had been highly recommended.
“They are both young, but they’ve been recommended and I decided to have a look at them,” he told the Evening Telegraph.
“I’ll use them at Livingston tonight and that will give me a longer look and I can take things from there. Nigel comes from the same people that unearthed Prince for us, so you can see why I’ve decided to bring him over.”
Houston also said that he would use this weekend’s friendly against Hull City to further assess Lithuanian centre-back Irmantas Zelmikas. The defender has already made three appearances in pre-season matches but Houston wanted to see him fully tested.
“No disrespect to Raith Rovers, but Saturday will give him the kind of stiff test I’m wanting to see,” he said.
“We will be up against a team that has just dropped out of the Premiership down south and who will have a lot of players wanting to impress their new manager.”
Having won the Scottish Cup and finished third in the SPL last season, United enter the Europa League at a later stage than Motherwell and Hibernian. The club’s first competitive fixture of the season will be against St Mirren in the SPL on August 14.
