Steven Pressley has issued a firm financial warning to Rangers and all other interested clubs pursuing Dundee centre-back Luke Graham this summer transfer window.
Rangers have been tracking the defender since January, with a formal bid expected to follow after interest was confirmed earlier this week by Record Sport.
Pressley has revealed that clubs from England, Austria, Germany, and Portugal have all registered their interest in securing Graham’s signature.
Stoke City, Norwich City, Portsmouth, Austrian side Sturm Graz, German club Schalke, and Portuguese outfit Famalicao are all among the parties keen on the defender.
Pressley said: “There’s a lot of interest in Luke from here, England and abroad.”
The Dundee manager added: “It’s difficult to see him here next season with the amount of clubs interested in him. But we’re in no rush to sell.”
Dundee rejected what would have been a club record £1.5million offer when Portsmouth made their approach during the January transfer window.
Pressley is drawing on past experience to ensure any deal for Graham maximises Dundee’s long-term earning potential, including sell-on clauses.
Carlisle United stand to benefit significantly if Pressley’s former player Jarrad Branthwaite departs Everton, with Pressley having worked with Branthwaite during his 2019 breakthrough at the Cumbrian club.
Pressley said: “I brought Jarrad through at Carlisle and when he was supposed to go to Man United, it was going to generate about £7m for them at the time.”
He continued: “So that has to be a consideration. Of course you want to demand as high a fee as possible but it’s very beneficial to look beyond that.”
Pressley believes Graham possesses the qualities to eventually establish himself as a Premier League centre-back in England.
He stated: “I think Luke has the capabilities to be a centre-back in the English Premier League down the line.”
The Dundee boss also reflected on his January decision to hold onto Graham, referencing a difficult experience at Coventry where selling two strikers mid-season caused results to collapse.
He said: “In January we didn’t want to sell Luke because I’d seen before what can happen. We wanted to reinforce in that window rather than take the risk.”
Graham is currently training with Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad to gain experience ahead of World Cup warm-up fixtures.
Pressley said: “If he impresses, like I’m sure he will, then you never know what could happen. Scotland could have an injury or two before the start of the World Cup.”
Clarke has been monitoring Graham, and Pressley is confident the defender will become a key figure for Scotland’s national team going forward.
Dundee plan to give Graham additional time off following a demanding season that has included regular involvement with the Scotland Under-21 squad throughout the campaign.
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