Dundee Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Malachi Boateng, subject to international clearance.
The 21-year-old joins us on a season-long loan deal from Crystal Palace.
Malachi returns to Scotland after spending last season on loan at Queens Park where he came up against The Dee. Last season he played 41 times for the Spiders in all competitions scoring three goals.
He has been with Crystal Palace since the age of 11 and has won the Under 18 and 23 Player of the Year Award whilst with Palace. The club are really pleased to have secured Malachi’s signature after much interest from other clubs.
After signing for the club Malachi said, “It feels really good to join the club and I can’t wait to get started. I heard about the club’s interest a few weeks ago, I spoke with the manager on Zoom and he was quite clear that he wanted me on board and I’m now happy to be here. I saw the club last season, saw the players that are here and that did push me towards signing for Dundee. From my experience last season playing against Dundee, I could see that it is a club with good players and great fans.
“It was good for me to play so many matches last season and I just want to continue that this season and keep playing matches and that’s why I’ve come here. From playing in the Scottish Championship last season I know that the game here in Scotland is physical but it is a good level and I am looking to progress and make the step up in the Premiership with Dundee this season. I think I am ready to make the step up and that’s why I came up here, to show everyone that I am ready.
“The fans here are really loud and always get behind their team and I would say to them just keep doing what you are doing and get behind the team.”
Speaking on Malachi joining The Dee, Manager Tony Docherty said, “I am thrilled we’ve been able to secure Malachi, he’s a player we’ve greatly admired, watched and done a lot of work on. He was on loan with Queen’s Park last season and benefitted a lot from his loan there. Watching him as a footballer and monitoring him as a recruitment team, we are extremely impressed by his technical ability and physicality and we think he will fit into the system we are looking to play. He is a real technician, good on the ball and has a wide range of passing. We know we’ve got a real player on our hands and we hope to develop him as much as we can.
“He is seen as a number 6, but I think he is more than that, watching his play and speaking with his previous Manager, Owen Coyle, a good friend of mine. He’s good on the ball, he gets it from side to side, and has a real physical presence. I also think he’s got goals and assists in him and he can contribute further up the pitch. I’ve spoken to him about this and we are hoping to make him into a more rounded midfielder, so he’s not just a number 6 but he can play as a 8 or even as a 10. We’ve agreed that this is the area we are going to develop him this season.
“But I just think for Dundee Football Club, we’ve now got a player with real technical ability, real physicality and will compliment our system and existing players.”
Malachi will travel with the squad for tonight’s Viaplay Cup match against Bonnyrigg Rose and will wear the number 23 for the Dark Blues.
Welcome to The Dee Malachi!
