MATCH REPORT | A PROMOTION PARTY AT TANNADICE
4th May 2024
Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of Oliver Denham, who joins the club on a season-long loan from English Championship outfit Cardiff City subject to international clearance.
The defender made the switch to south Wales after a lengthy stint within the youth ranks at Manchester United, as he turned down a contract extension at Old Trafford aged 18 to test himself within senior football.
An aggressive, predominantly right-sided defender, Denham made his Bluebirds debut in February 2022, given the nod to start in a crunch Emirates FA Cup clash against Liverpool.
His fearless and mature display at Anfield earned him the right to be included in every single one of Cardiff’s matchday squads between that fixture and the end of the 2021/22 campaign, and he began to nail down a place in the backline at the business end of the season.
Furthermore, the 21-year-old’s form heading into the summer saw Wales boss Rob Page take notice, and he was called up to the Dragons’ squad which contested a World Cup Play-Off Final and four UEFA Nations League matches.
Denham looks to further his development in a first-team environment whilst adding another brick in United’s defensive wall for the upcoming cinch Championship campaign.
Modern-Day Centre-Back
United Manager Jim Goodwin expressed his satisfaction in securing the services of Denham for the 2023/24 campaign; "Ollie is a young talent who is very highly regarded at Cardiff and played a number of games in the English Championship. He's a modern-day centre-back with good mobility and one who enjoys defending."
The 41-year-old added "He has good leadership qualities, and we are delighted to have him on board to add more competition in the defensive area of the squad."
"Furthermore, at 20 years of age, he was one of only two defenders who just missed out on the final selection for the Wales World Cup squad, which gives an indication of how highly thought of he is within the Welsh FA."
