Dundee United missed out on another striker this week, after manager Craig Levein pulled out of the chase for Oldham Athletic striker Chris Porter.
23-year-old Porter was given until midnight on Tuesday to decide on a move to Tannadice, but his indecisiveness has convinced Levein to look elsewhere.
Oldham Athletic will be happy with the news that Dundee United are no longer interested in the player, because a loophole would have allowed Porter to move to a Scottish club without Oldham receiving any financial compensation.
English sides Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City are also being linked with the former Bury attacker, but they would have to pay for his services if they signed him before his 24th birthday on the 12th of December.
“We set a deadline for a decision from him, but the lad couldn`t make up his mind so we pulled the plug,” Levein told the Scotsman.
“He would have liked more time, but I want people who are desperate to come to this club and be part of what we are trying to do.”
“He just did not give that impression, so I wished him all the best and told him we are no longer interested.”
“I got the feeling he was looking for an English team to come in and was perhaps using us to jack up interest in him.”
Dundee United have already missed out on frontmen Jason Scotland and David Weatherston, with moves for Caley Thistle`s Craig Dargo and Leicester City`s Mark De Vries also petering out.
Craig Levein has admitted that Chris Porter was his preferred choice, but he still has other transfer targets in mind.
“To be honest, he was my top target for a striker, but I have other good options I am pursuing and I did not want to hang on and risk missing out on them,” he confessed to the Scotsman.
“Now we`ll look elsewhere for a front player.”
