Stevie May’s hopes of bagging a return ticket to hometown club St Johnstone look to have been wrecked.
The Aberdeen striker had been set to pen a three year deal with the Perth club after passing a medical earlier in the week.
But talks broke down in advance of Saints’ 4-0 Betfred Cup win over Brechin City.
Manager Tommy Wright, who was eager to be reunited with his 2014 Scottish Cup winner, ducked out of the customary post-match interview.
Saints chairman Steve Brown had stated he was read to “go the extra mile” to bring back May, five years after the home-grown attacker had left for Sheffield Wednesday in an £800,000 deal.
A couple of issues had still to be ironed out but chairman Steve Brown was unable to get them over the line and the deal is now dead.
It now means both Dundee and St Mirren have ramped up their efforts to get him in the door.
Perth supporters eagerly anticipated May donning his old number 17 shirt, and hoped he would be unveiled before the Brechin match.
Saints declined to comment on speculation that talks had broken down and the deal was now dead in the water.
It opens the door for Dundee manager James McPake to revive the Dens Park club’s interest in capturing May.
But St Mirren are also chasing the Dons striker and May’s agent Rowan Vine was spotted at McDiarmid on Wednesday beside Paisley boss Jim Goodwin.
