IAN McCALL has revealed that Dundee haven’t paid any sort of fee after Zak Rudden joined the Premiership club on loan until the end of the season on transfer deadline day.
The Scotland Under-21 internationalist signed a three-year pre-contract with the Dens Park outfit in January before a loan deal to bring the striker Tayside before the window closed was agreed.
Dundee striker Alex Jakubiak, who is also a free agent at the end of the season, has moved in the opposite direction on loan for the remainder of the campaign to mitigate Rudden’s loss at Firhill.
McCall admitted the Jags will have to wait until the summer to receive any income from Rudden’s move when an independent tribunal will determine a development fee for the player. As a Rangers academy product, the Premiership champions will be due a sizeable chunk of the development fee but the Partick Thistle manager insists that the deal is a case of business as usual.
“Ourselves and Dundee were just kind of too far apart on a valuation,” McCall explained. “So I think the best solution was that Zak has gone there on loan until the end of the season and Alex Jakubiak has come here on loan until the end of the season and then both clubs see what happens at the tribunal.
“There will be a fee at the end of the season when a tribunal sets it. The reason for the loan just now is because the two clubs were too far apart with the fee.
“Honest, it’s really quite normal, this was the best solution to it and we wish Zak good luck and we’re delighted to have Alex here.”
After a difficult spell away from the park, Jakubiak arrives at Firhill in search of regular first-team football with a point to prove. The 25-year-old is a typical McCall signing, a talented player in need of a platform to kick-start his career, and the Jags boss is hoping to provide exactly that.
“I saw him playing for Falkirk, I saw him playing for St Mirren, I haven’t seen him play for Dundee,” McCall said of his new recruit.
“He picked up an injury and then he picked up a freak injury that had nothing to do with football, so one thing I’m hoping is that he is absolutely raring to go and he certainly looked that way in training today.
“He’s sharp, he can take it in really well, which I think we need, which is obviously different to Zak who is great at running beyond people. I think he’s going to bring a lot to us and he’s a player who is due a little bit of luck so let’s hope he gets it with us.
“Alex is only 25 and I know he did very well at St Mirren in his seven or eight games there on loan. I know Jim [Goodwin] wanted to keep him but Dundee obviously had a bit more financial nous at that point. I am really looking forward to working with him.
“Whether he plays up there on his own or plays beside Brian [Graham] – we’re actively looking to bring on one more player, maybe with one leaving. He just needs a little bit luck. A bit like Zak did to be honest a year-and-a-half ago, and he looked really, really sharp today in training.”
Another deadline day signing arrived at Firhill in the form of Kyle McAllister, who joined on loan from St Mirren for the rest of the season. Like Jakubiak, McAllister has had his injury problems in the past but McCall is confident he can get the winger to realise his talents in Maryhill.
“I am not sure he will be in the squad tomorrow or on the bench because he didn’t train with us today and the paperwork got held up, but he is here now, it’s done,” McCall added.
“We have been looking for somebody to play off the right side although Kyle Turner has done a great job, Robbie [Crawford] has been in and played really well there.
“To narrow the pitch up on his left foot, he is a very, very exciting footballer who needs a wee bit of luck as well. He’s actually scored recently, I think, for St Mirren against Ayr United down at Somerset.
“He’s one where great things were expected and he maybe needs a wee bit of luck to get him back on the horse as it were, but he’s certainly an exciting footballer, there is no doubt about that.”
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