I'D LOVE TO JOIN LEVEIN AT UNITED

FORMER Hearts striker Mark de Vries has sent a come-and-get- me message to Dundee United and his former boss Craig Levein.

The towering Dutchman has been linked with a move to Tannadice following Levein's appointment a fortnight ago.

De Vries is currently on loan at Den Haag in his homeland from English Championship side Leicester, where he is contracted until summer 2008.

The Surinam-born player insists the two and a half years he spent at Tynecastle working under Levein were the most enjoyable of his career before he followed the manager to Leicester in January 2005.

Levein has gone on record as saying he wants to bolster his squad with a target man and 6ft 4in de Vries insists he is keen to move back to Scotland.

He said: "If the gaffer was wanting to sign me I would be more than willing to go to Dundee United.

"I'm not going to lie - in the four years I worked under him I never once turned up to training thinking, 'I'm not going to play for this man'.

"I obviously know him very well and I think the football he is going to play at Dundee United will work.

"The style of football he plays suits me as well so I would like to play under him again.

"I don't really know what the story is with my loan at Den Haag. My loan lasts until the end of the season and I don't know if there is a chance I can get out of it before then.

"I was only too happy to leave Leicester when the chance came up because I wasn't playing there. I needed to leave and Leicester knew I needed to leave too.

"Although I'm contracted to Leicester for another 18 months or so I don't think it would be a problem leaving because they probably want to get me off the wage bill."

After Levein brought him to Hearts from Dordrecht, de Vries scored four goals in his first Edinburgh derby in a 5-1 thrashing of Hibs.

Levein then signed de Vries for Leicester but his move to England didn't work out as both had hoped.

De Vries hasn't played first-team football for the midlands club since January when Levein was sacked.

He said: "I still keep in touch with both Craig and Peter Houston.

"I sent Houstie a text before their game against Kilmarnock on Saturday to congratulate them on the win over Rangers and to wish them all the best for the game.

"I might give them a phone later this week too just to see how they are getting on."

United have taken Cowdenbeath starlet Morgaro Gomis on trial.

The 20-year-old Frenchman caught the eye of Levein a few months ago so the manager has invited him to train with his Tannadice squad for the next fortnight.

Gomis, who was on the books of Chelsea as a youth, has been a stand-out in the Second Division this season, so Levein is keen to see how he shapes up alongside players from a higher level. He said: "I've brought Morgaro in to work with us for the next couple of weeks.

"I saw him play for Cowdenbeath earlier in the season and he impressed so this will give me the chance to look a bit closer.

"He's going to train with us during the week and go back to play for his club at the weekend."

Taken from the Daily Record