Dundee United manager Thomas Courts has not ruled out Kerr Smith leaving Tannardice when the January transfer window.

The 16-year-old has been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United in the English press over the past week, and, when asked about the speculation, Courts said he was realistic about the possibility of the teenager moving clubs:

“Hopefully we can keep him developing at our club for a while longer. Do we expect bids in January? I am not entirely sure, we are aware of the speculation but I don’t know of anything developing. Kerr will be having input from a lot of people who will be helping him. My role in that is to just keep him focused on football.”

“It’s nice for me to play that role for him, just focus on what he needs to do on the training pitch and in games. It’s a good problem to have, seeing him linked with big clubs. We want to keep him as long as possible but we also know he’s a talented player and naturally there will be interest.”

Smith is a centre-half by trade but he has been employed as a right-back on a couple of occasions so far this season. He only made his senior debut back in February, with just 11 senior appearances to his name so far.

Courts also revealed that Smith has been on trial at Premier League clubs in the past so it is not a surprise that the likes of Liverpool and United are keeping tabs on the defender.

The Scotland Under 19 international is expected to be in the startling lineup in Dundee United’s next game against Aberdeen after the international break, with scouts likely to be watching on.