Mixu Paatelainen adds veterans to Dundee United mix

The 31-year-old former Atletico Madrid player had been on trial with United and could make his debut in the Ladbrokes Premiership match against Hamilton on Saturday.

Paatelainen has now signed three players following the earlier arrivals of defender Gavin Gunning and holding midfielder Guy Demel, and he is still trying to secure a work permit for Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

Paatelainen aims to have Sinama Pongolle in his squad for the visit of Accies if international clearance comes through.

The former France player won one cap following a distinguished spell as a youth international. He joined Liverpool as a teenager and has had spells in Spain, Portugal, Russia, France, the United States and Switzerland, where he was most recently on the books of Lausanne.

Paatelainen said: "He brings experience, he brings tactical awareness, he brings quality in terms of his passing and positioning. He understands football well."

Former Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg and West Ham player Demel aims to lead by example in a United side who are six points adrift in the table.

The 34-year-old told a media conference broadcast on Periscope: "Experience is good but you have to lead by example. If I want to help the team I have to be an example to my team-mates.

"That means I have to be on my best form and show on the pitch what I can do to help them and then my experience will speak for itself.

"Every player should feel a responsibility. Dundee United is a big club in Scotland and it's our responsibility to make sure the club stays in the Premiership."

Demel wants to rise to Paatelainen's challenge of getting United out of relegation danger.

Demel said: "He spoke about the way he wanted to play and what he is expecting from me, and the challenge. It's a massive challenge but we want to win the battle against relegation so it's something I want to add to my CV.

"I am joining a team with a lot of quality. In the last couple of days I have seen young players with a lot of quality. The gap is not big, there are a lot of games, but we have to come out of this situation quickly. But I'm sure we have the potential to do it."