Levein Decides On Wilkie's Future

Lee Wilkie looks certain to be loaned out over the next few weeks, after the player returned to training on Thursday after recovered from an ankle knock.

United signed the player in October 2006, on a play-as-you-go contract until the end of the season, even though there were several other teams being linked with the injury prone defender at that time - including Plymouth Argyle, Gretna, Sheffield Wednesday and QPR.

He`s known to be a big Dundee United supporter, which is probably the reason for his initial move to Tannadice, but since then he`s only managed one 1st team appearance in Tangerine, which was in Craig Brewster`s last match incharge - the very poor 5-1 home defeat to Falkirk.

New boss Craig Levein thinks the player needs a bit more match practice before he throws him into the deep end and for that reason he is considering offers of a short-term loan for the 26 year old.

After joining the club a few weeks ago Levein said 'In my opinion, Lee is not ready to play first-team matches at this level. So I am considering putting him out on loan for about a month.'

'He needs to find some middle ground between reserve football and the first team in the SPL and it could do him a power of good to get competitive matches.'

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