Gers fail with new Goodwillie bid

By Jim Spence
BBC Scotland Goodwillie is understood to be attracting the interest of 10 clubs Dundee United have rejected a third bid from Rangers for David Goodwillie, but the striker will not be moving to Blackburn.

Rangers' latest offer for the 22-year-old is believed to be around ?1.6m, plus ?600,000 in add-ons.

That is ?600,000 less than Blackburn offered on Friday.

The English top-flight outfit had hoped to conclude a deal on Saturday, but that move is now off after Goodwillie failed to agree personal terms.

United had ageed a fee of ?2m up front with ?800,000 in add-ons with the Ewood Park side on.

A second bid from Rangers had been rejected on Friday, with the player's agent at that time concentrating on the Blackburn deal.

"We have not been given permission by Dundee United to speak to any club yet, so at the moment we are waiting on that permission being given," agent Liam O'Donnell told BBC Scotland.

Blackburn's initial bid of ?1.7m had been rejected earlier on Friday, but the English Premier League club came in with a fresh offer later in the evening.

It is understood that a sell-on clause, which has been included in the deal with the club managed by fellow Scotsman Steve Kean, could net United substantially more than the ?2.8m figure.

Continue reading the main story Made Dundee United debut in 2005 at the age of 16Scored first goal for the club shortly before 17th birthdayFinished season 2010/11 with 19 goalsMade Scotland debut against Faroe Islands in March

Ten clubs had expressed an interest in Goodwillie after a rape charge was dropped this week against the product of United's youth system.

And United chairman Stephen Thompson insisted all along that he would not accept any less than his ?2m valuation for the player.

Ahead of Blackburn's improved offer, United manager Peter Houston stressed: "I've said all along and I'll repeat it - if somebody comes in and offers the money we think is due, he'll be away. As simple as that.

"What they'll be getting is a guy who can score goals in the Premier League for fun, a strong player, a guy who might well soon get international recognition.

"As far as I'm concerned, we're not asking over the top for David Goodwillie - for a guy who scores 20-odd goals a season."

Rangers boss Ally McCoist had revealed on Friday that he remained keen on the player.

However, Houston has previously warned Goodwillie against a move to Glasgow because of the media spotlight there and suggested that the striker himself would prefer a move to English football.

Goodwillie earned his one and only Scotland cap in November against the Faroe Islands and, earlier this week, national coach Craig Levein said he will consider bringing the striker back into the national team set-up now that the rape charge was no longer a factor.

For Levein's Scotland assistant, Houston, the likely confirmation of Goodwillie's transfer will mean he can progress his own plans to strengthen a squad depleted by several summer departures.

Houston has stressed that he needed the cash boost from another exit from Tannadice to fund his own moves in the transfer marker.

"I need to bring some players in, but the only way I'm going to bring players in is if David or any of our players move on," he said.

"At this moment in time, I have to wait. It's status quo for me at the moment."

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