WILL FERRY BECOMES UNITED'S FIRST SUMMER SIGNING

Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of Will Ferry, who arrives at the club on a three-year deal after departing EFL League One side Cheltenham Town, subject to international clearance.

Born and raised in Bury, Ferry spent the early years of his youth career with his hometown club, before catching the eye of Premier League outfit Southampton as a 17-year-old.

The famed Academy set-up on the south coast, one which has produced stars such as Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Ben White, honed the talents of the mercurial wideman as he became an integral member of the club’s youth sides. 

Ferry also found himself named in numerous first-team matchday squads during both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaign, claiming a place on the bench for Saints’ clashes with all of the traditional ‘big six’

After penning a new deal at St Mary’s, he delved into the world of senior football with a temporary stint at Crawley Town. Immediately nailing down a place in the starting XI, the adopted Irishman made almost 40 appearances for the Red Devils on loan in a fierce battle for the promotion play-offs.

The curtain would fall on his Southampton career in the summer of 2022 when he made a permanent switch to Cheltenham Town and, spending the last two seasons in Gloucestershire, Ferry has put no fewer than 75 League One matches under his belt. 

Resolute defensively and a livewire in the final third, the 23-year-old has bagged eight assists and two goals impressing in a variety of different roles.

'A CHALLENGE THAT REALLY EXCITES ME'

Ahead of making the first venture north of the border of his career, Ferry commented: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to prove myself at the top level of Scottish football, it's a challenge that really excites me.”

"I've kept a keen eye on the club's progress throughout recent seasons, with some of my close friends in football, such as Ross Graham, playing here - I'm looking forward to reuniting with him."

"I'm counting down the days until we can get to work in pre-season and kick on, I can't wait to get started!"

'THE FIRST OF MANY'

Rubber-stamping the first capture of the summer window and his role, newly-appointed Head of Recruitment, Michael Cairney, said: “I’m really pleased to have secured Will’s services for the following three seasons - he’s a player that has been on our radar for a considerable period of time and we had to fend off stiff competition for his signature.

“Not only is he an incredibly talented young footballer who perfectly matches the profile for his position, but he personifies the exact type of character we wish to continue bringing to Dundee United.

“This deal represents the first arrival of many this summer and we are working tirelessly behind the scenes, exploring various markets both on home soil and across the continent to continue improving our first-team squad. We look forward to announcing more new faces in due course!”

'Pace, Tenacity and A Fabulous Level Of Technical Ability'

United Manager, Jim Goodwin, added: “Getting some solid business done early was imperative to our summer plans, and the signing of Will represents just that.

“He possesses all of the attributes necessary to be a successful player in the Scottish Premiership, with pace, tenacity and fabulous level of technical ability. His versatility will also prove vital throughout an unrelenting league campaign.

“Furthermore, at just 23, he still has room to develop into a valuable asset for the club. I’m excited to start working with Will come the beginning of pre-season and look forward to closely tracking his progression.”