Lads about to press for the operators (8)

I believe the answer is:

surgeons

'operators' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Medical operators ' mean 'surgeons' so perhaps 'operators' could also mean 'surgeons')

'lads about to press for' is the wordplay.
'lads' becomes 'sons'.
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'to press for' becomes 'urge' (I've seen this in another clue).
'sons' enclosing 'urge' is 'SURGEONS'.

'the' is the link.

(Another definition for surgeons that I've seen is " Medical operators".)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Independent.

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