Antonio Portales reveals Dundee contract talks as Mexican admits Dens squad are avoiding looking at the table

Antonio Portales has revealed he is in talks to extend his Dundee stay.

The Mexican defender has given the Dark Blues a lift by revealing that news ahead of their home clash with Hibs. The 28-year-old, who was signed from Atlante last year, is out of contract in the summer but Tony Docherty is aiming to extend that agreement. Portales confirmed: “My contract is up next year, 2025. Right now we have been talking with the club about an extension. Yeah, hopefully we will do it."

Portales was a key member of Docherty’s squad that got Dundee into the top six last season. Their defeat at Aberdeen before the international break saw them drop of the top half this time around and that is something they are keen to address by getting back to winning ways against Hibs. “We know if we will win again we are likely to be in the top six,” the Dundee star claimed. “But if we draw or lose it's harder because the other teams around us are close by. We are focusing on our job.

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‘I think the team doesn't look at the table because it's not good. We are just focusing on our job to play better for the team.”

Dundee’s main issues this season has been losing too many goals and making too many individual mistakes. Docherty was critical of his team after their defeat at Aberdeen and keeping the back door shut is something they have been working on over the ibreak.

Portales said:“If you have a mistake in the defence, the other team is likely to score a goal. I think it's not the defence, it's all the team. If the team wins, all the team wins. “If the team loses, all the team loses. It's a team.

“The first defender is the striker, midfield and then the back line. Of course, I think everyone is working in their job to play better for the team to be in the best version of all Dundee.

“If we work on ourselves, we will help the team. “I think the team right now understands that and we will have a very good chance on Saturday to play better. No mistakes, just play, play and play.”

Hibs find themselves bottom of the table. Portales knows they are still a good side and won’t be taking anything for granted. He thinks the fact Hibs and Hearts are 11th and 12th shows the strength of the Scottish Premiership “I think they are a very good team but I think the league right now is very strong,” the former Monterrey player.

“Aberdeen compete with Celtic and other teams close to them also take points but that is football. I think it's good for the league.
It's good for all the players in the league because it's a very good competition for everyone.”

Portales had started the majority of the games but found himself on the bench against Aberdeen and St Johnstone. It is not something he has been used to. He acknowledged: “I don't like it. Any player doesn't like to be on the bench, but it's football.“The most important thing is the team. If I'm on the bench or if I play in the XI, for me the most important thing is the team.

“I support my team-mates because when I've been in the XI, they support me. It's a team, it's a family."