Emmanuel Adeboyega would be open to a Dundee United return next season (2025)

The young defender has had a successful loan that has seen him play a major part for United and also pushed him into the Ireland under-21 squad.

Emmanuel Adeboyega would be open to extending his Dundee United stay if the first-team door was to open for him at Norwich City next season.

The young defender has had a successful loan that has seen him play a major part for United and also pushed him into the Ireland under-21 squad.

Adeboyega still has another season left on his Canaries contract with the English Championship club also having the option for a further 12 months.

The 21-year-old would love to go back and make his mark at Norwich but Goodwin will come back in if that isn’t the case.

Adeboyega said: “I’m into the final year right now, but obviously Norwich have an option.

“I don't know, to be fair, because every season has its own challenges and has its own thing going on.

“So, for me, it's just about any young player, at the age of 21, trying to gain experience, you just want to play.

|Whether you win, lose or draw, especially when you win, you get a joy out of playing, working hard and helping the team win the game.

“So those experiences you can't get from sitting on the bench or being out of the squad.

“So I think for me, I just need to play.

“For me, personally, it's just to continue to play first team football and hopefully at the highest level possible.

“Wherever it is, that's abroad, here, there or everywhere. “I just want to play top flight football in whatever country and just play my best football.

“I just want to play. "I need to play and get better.

“If Dundee United is an option, then we'll have to cross that bridge when we get there.”

It could help if Dundee United could offer European football next season. They currently sit fifth and are firmly in the hunt for that.

The United star acknowledged: “It has been a good season, but I think at the very start we all bought into what the gaffer was giving us.

“So maybe from the outside looking at it you could say it's a surprise, but I think the way we worked hard, we just hope to reap the rewards.”

The centre half admitted Goodwin has been a real positive in his career.

Adeboyega confirmed: “So far Jim has been excellent with me, to be fair.

“From bringing me in, telling me the plan and allowing me to gain this much experience at my young age.

“He’s been very good to me.

“Honestly, they've given me a lot, from experience to game time to just enjoying football again. “Overall, so far it's been very good. I've enjoyed it.

“But I think especially on the experience part, learning from (Kevin) Holty to now continue to learn from Declan Gallagher and also the gaffer, who was previously a centre-half himself.

“So I think experience is probably the main thing I've gained so far since I've been here.

“Those experiences have largely been good, but there have been some bad ones in there as well.”

United have won two on the bounce but won’t be taking anything granted against struggling St Johnstone.

He warned: “I would say all 12 teams are very good, whether you're at the bottom, whether you're at the top or whether you're in the middle, every single team is good.

“I think, as you can see by the stats, they're one of the best position-based teams, so we can't just take the foot off the gas because they're bottom.

“We have to keep the tempo going and hopefully see ourselves to victory on Saturday.

“Big crowd as well, I guess it would be great to put on a show for them.”

United will be without Ross Graham but Vicko Sevelj will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.