ATHLETIC are interested in completing a deal for trialist Dapo Mebude and are hopeful that they will be able to add him to their squad.

Press Sport understands that, talks were ongoing between both parties with a view to Pars signing the 23-year-old.

The former Scotland under-21 cap, who began his senior career with Rangers, has been training with the club since last month, and featured as a trialist in a recent Reserve Cup match with Falkirk.

He scored in that match, and set up another goal in Dunfermline's 3-0 victory, and afterwards, manager James McPake said: "He was excellent.

"I have known and watched him since he was 17. He has had a horrific time and he is now looking to get his career back on track.

"Credit to the lad, he has come in, worked really hard and he is a good player."

Mebude, who moved to Watford after leaving Ibrox, last played for Belgian side, KV Oostende, who were declared bankrupt in June and a successor club, K.V. Diksmuide-Oostende, was subsequently formed as part of a merger.

Whilst in Belgium, where he moved to in 2022, Mebude suffered life-threatening injuries in a freak car accident in January this year, which saw him cut out of the vehicle, and spend five days in a coma.

Mebude required emergency surgery and, in an interview with The Athletic following the incident, said: "Life can be taken away from you at any time and your career is short, so I’m really excited to get back playing and fulfilling the potential I believe I’ve got."

Since departing KV Oostende, he has been without a club, but it is understood that the Pars are keen to conclude a deal.

Meanwhile, McPake is hopeful that he could have two of his players back from injury to feature at Airdrieonians on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi, and defender, Kieran Ngwenya, both missed the home defeat to Queen's Park, whilst the former also didn't feature in Dunfermline's previous match, at Partick Thistle.

McPake, who also reported that club captain, Kyle Benedictus, was "doing well" in his recovery from injury, but the Diamonds clash will likely come too early for him, said: "Tobi may be available. We'll wait and see how he is.

"Kieran Ngwenya might come back into the squad as well. We'll see how he is later on in the week.

"Kieran had a minor procedure on his groin area, very minor actually, so he's back out on the grass and doing wee bits. We'll see how he is come the latter stages of the week.

"Tobi had a discomfort in his thigh, so we're just assessing that day by day."

Dunfermline go into the game against their former midfielder Rhys McCabe's Airdrie on the back of two successive defeats, and only goal difference is keeping them above their bottom placed opponents in the table.

"We were disappointed with the performance in particular," McPake said of the Queen's Park match.

"Obviously, the result's the main thing, but it's the performance that gets results. You've got to move on; there's nothing else you can do, and I must say that's if you win the game as well.

"We've got Airdrie coming ahead on Saturday and you've got to move on quickly in football.

"The games over the last couple of years have been eventful. They've been good games. It's been two teams that came up through League One in the same season, and then the games last year were full of drama as well.

"It's a game I'm sure both teams will be looking forward to.

"I think if somebody had to offer me three points I would take that whatever way the game goes, without saying, but we just need to go down there and perform."

McPake added: "I don't think there's, as such, a standout team in this league.

"There's no Dundee United I'd say, with their budget, and every other manager will be saying the exact same. Every other set of players will be looking at it and thinking every team can beat anybody.

"We beat Dundee United last year and there's been certain times I've been in this league before where there's been so-called bigger clubs, with the big budgets, and you can always beat them.

"You can win any game but I think, in particular this season, the league is much of a muchness between all the teams. You need to do the fundamentals right and, sadly on Saturday, we didn't defend two corners, which was an issue."