Derry City target former Ayr United skipper Ben Dempsey

​The 26-year-old midfielder is a free agent this summer, and although he’s been offered a new contract, he’s expected to leave the Scottish Championship side after four years at Somerset Park.

It's understood Derry City has recently made contact with the player's representatives about a potential move to Brandywell.

A Charlton Athletic graduate, Dempsey made 10 senior appearances for the Addicks including four EFL Championship appearances since debuting in the Football League Trophy back in 2018.

He made an initial loan switch to Ayr United in January 2022 before signing a permanent deal. Dempsey played alongside former Derry winger Dom Thomas who joined from the Foylesiders in June 2025.

The box-to-box central midfielder also played alongside another ex-Candy Stripe, Kevin Holt at Ayr last season as the club maintained its Scottish Championship status, finishing in seventh spot.

The player flourished at Somerset and in his third season, manager Scott Brown handed him the captain's armband.

Dempsey will certainly bolster Lynch's midfield engine room where he will compete with James Olayinka, Adam O'Reilly, Cameron Dummigan, James McClean, Carl Winchester and James Clarke – all of whom have played in that central midfield role this season.

Ben Doherty, another who has been deployed in midfield, could be making a surprise departure in the coming weeks with Coleraine understood to be interested in the Derry man.

Question marks also remain over Gavin Whyte at the club as the player hasn't featured since being substituted at half-time during the 1-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght on March 6th. The former Portsmouth forward was an unused sub against Drogheda United at Brandywell on March 20th.

Another busy transfer window is expected at the Brandywell Stadium with several players departing, including current loan players Josh Thomas who has been released by Swansea, and Alex Bannon who is set to return to Burton Albion in July.

Goalkeeper Eddie Beach, who has played 18 times for Derry since agreeing to a six month loan move, is also expected to return to his parent club, Kilmarnock, this summer. Charlton’s Henry Rylah signed a 12 month loan deal but could be recalled early by the Addicks.

Derry City is appointing a new Head of Player Recruitment but Lynch is clearly wasting no time in strengthening his squad as they look to improve on a hugely frustrating first half of the season which sees the club languishing in sixth spot with just four wins in 20 games.

Commenting after the 2-1 loss to Dundalk at Oriel Park before the break, Lynch said he hoped the upcoming transfer window would give the squad a 'fresh impetus'.

"I think the break probably came at a good time for us," said the Derry boss. "We have a couple of weeks until the window. There are players we know are leaving.

"Hopefully we have players coming in that can give us a fresh impetus to go and have a crack at the second half of the season."