St Mirren Secures Malik Dijksteel Early From Cork City

St Mirren has secured the early transfer of 24-year-old Dutch winger Malik Dijksteel from Cork City for an undisclosed fee, signing him on a contract until summer 2028. Originally set to join St Mirren in January after his Cork contract expired, Dijksteel's move was expedited amid some controversy as his agent made him unavailable for a crucial Cork City match, leading to tensions. St Mirren's manager Stephen Robinson highlighted Dijksteel's pace and creativity as key assets to address the team's lack of wide players capable of changing games one-on-one, although he emphasized that Dijksteel must compete for a starting place. Dijksteel, who has experience from youth football at Feyenoord and spells in England before moving to Cork in 2023, expressed enthusiasm about joining St Mirren early to integrate with the squad and adapt to the Scottish Premiership level. Cork City manager Gerard Nash, while saddened by the winger's departure, acknowledged the personal reasons behind the move and wished him well. The transfer allows Dijksteel to be available for St Mirren's upcoming fixtures, including their league opener against Celtic.