FORMER Aberdeen and Motherwell manager Mark McGhee is closing in on a return to first-team management with Dundee, according to reports.

The 64-year-old was most recently servng as assistant manager at Stockport County and is now unemployed after departing the English club in October of last year.

It is believed that McGhee's relationship with Gordon Strachan, Dundee's technical director, has helped. When Strachan was Scotland manager, McGhee worked as his No2.

The Scottish Sun report that McGhee is set to be offered a short-term deal until the end of the season after James McPake was relieved of his duties on Wednesday.

However, it could be some time before Dundee fans see McGhee in the home dugout at Dens Park as the former Celtic striker still has to observe a six-game touchline ban from an incident when he was Motherwell manager in 2017.