Jefferies: 'Mehdi Taouil will stay at Killie'

Jun 25 2008 By Alex Milligan

THE long-running close season saga over the future of Mehdi Taouil continues, but Killie boss Jim Jefferies is confident that the Moroccan midfielder will still be at Rugby Park next season.

Said the manager: “I’m in regular contact with Mehdi’s agent, and now the player is back in France after his holiday break, I am arranging to have a chat with him, hopefully by the end of this week.

“I think the signs that he’ll be here next season are very good. The fact that it has taken so long isn’t something that we’re concerned about.”

But Jefferies did admit that he was disappointed he’d lost out to Dundee United in the race to sign young left-sided defender Paul Dixon.

He explained: “With Ian Campbell leaving for Alloa, both Billy Brown and I thought that we needed some cover in that area.

“While Gavin Skelton can play in that position I don’t see that as long term, and we need some cover if Garry Hay gets injured or is suspended.

“We kept an eye on Dixon last season and watched him on several occasions, so we’re a bit disappointed not to get him.”

Jefferies however, understands the reasons why the defender opted to cross the street from Dens Park to Tannadice.

“The fact that he lives in Broughty Ferry made it an easy decision for the lad to remain in Dundee, but hopefully we can get someone else in for cover before the new season gets under way.”

Jefferies will be looking to bring a couple of young English Premiership players to Ayrshire.

“That’s our main priority,” he continued, “and while we have a couple of irons in the fire, the clubs concerned won’t be making any decision on our targets until the players return for pre-season training.

“Even if we aren’t successful in bringing the players north on loan, I’m well aware that I’ll need to make moves to give us more goalscoring options before the transfer window closes at the end of August.”

One ex-Killie player whom Jefferies would be delighted to welcome back to Rugby Park is Kris Boyd.

He now appears to be surplus to requirements at Ibrox following the arrival of a trio of new front men at the Glasgow club.

And if the Tarbolton hitman does eventually move on, then that could trigger off a ‘sell on’ clause in the deal that was done when Boyd moved to Rangers for a miserly £400,000.

As well as trying to boost his playing squad, Jefferies is also in the middle of fixing up a new kitman following the departure of Manson Fowler to Norwich City.

“We have a couple of options on that front,” said Jefferies, “but with the players returning for pre-season training on July 7 we will need to move fast.”

l WE can now confirm the dates for Killie’s five-game schedule of pre-season friendlies: July 19 - Airdrie (a); July 23 - Stenhousemuir (a); July 26 - Wolves (h); July 29 - Queens Park Rangers (h); August 2 - Coventry (h).