DUNDEE boss Tony Docherty has confirmed that Tyler French has a January recall clause in his season-long loan deal with Morton.

The Dark Blues boss has been grilled over his decision to allow the Dens Park fan-favourite to leave on a temporary basis after recovering from a broken leg.

French made an impressive debut for Ton at the weekend and Docherty says he will be keeping a close eye on him during his stint at Cappielow as he remains part of his plans.

He said: “Tyler French is a player I saw a lot of last year and he’s a really good player.

“With the horrific injury he got, it’s all part of his rehabilitation.

“Medically I’ve been advised, and from a football point of view, that it’s best for Tyler that he gets a level of competitive games so he can come back and be a stronger Dundee player.

“That’s my intention, to bring him back as a stronger Dundee player.

“He will be playing with a good side and under a good manager in Dougie Imrie.

“He’ll play probably about 18 competitive matches and I think that’s what he needs.

“He’s still in part of his rehab and it’s part of the process.

“I hope nobody thinks I’ve just shoved Tyler out the door. This is part of the programme to get Tyler back as the best Dundee player he can be.

“We were quite selective in his loan. We think Morton is a good fit, the position he’ll play and the manager.

“That’s a really important part of his development as a Dundee player.”