Shaun Maloney is already working on signings in order to get started if he is appointed manager of Dundee.

The former Celtic and Aston Villa star is still the odds-on favourite to succeed Tony Docherty, who was fired last Monday.

The Dark Blues cited poor results as the reason for making the change, and they have since begun the process of finding a new manager to lead the club forward.

Maloney has been the frontrunner from the start. He had talks with the club in 2022 before they broke down and Dundee chiefs hired Gary Bowyer.

That came after he left his brief spell at Hibs, but before spending more than two years in charge of Wigan during a turbulent period at his former club.

He was fired by the Latics in March and hopes to return to management at Dundee.

Former Scottish striker

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Maloney plans to return as Dundee manager and bring former Scotland striker Jordan Rhodes along.

Rhodes is a free agent this summer after his contract with Blackpool expires.

Rhodes, 35, has three goals for Scotland in 14 caps and has had a prolific career in England’s lower leagues, scoring 248 times in 18 years.

Jordan Rhodes finished the season on loan at Mansfield Town. Image: Lindsey Parnaby/Shutterstock

Last season, he scored 15 goals in 32 games while on loan with the Tangerines in League One, but he only made three in 28 appearances this season before joining Mansfield Town on loan.

He scored once in 14 matches for the Stags, who finished 17th.

Dundee says they are conducting a thorough recruitment process and will speak with other candidates in the coming days, despite their close relationship with Maloney.

Courier Sport exclusively revealed on Friday that former Newcastle and Wolves star Temuri Ketsbaia, who spent a season at Dens Park, is interested in the job.

Everton coach Charlie Adam is also interested in speaking with the club, and Ayr manager Scott Brown and Celtic assistant John Kennedy are among the bookmakers’ top picks.

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