Ross County midfielder Tony Dingwall has been offered a six-month contract extension to remain with the Staggies until the summer.
Dingwall has spent the last month on loan with League 2 side Elgin City, after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury that had kept him out since March.
After playing three games for City, Dingwall was due to play his final game for the Black and Whites against Edinburgh City but withdrew from the warm-up with an ankle injury prior to the 1-1 draw.
Elgin manager Gavin Price had been keen to extend the loan but Staggies boss Owen Coyle confirmed Dingwall will return to his hometown club, and has been offered an extended stay.
Coyle said: “For me it’s a very simple one. Tony’s contract ran up to January 8, and I told him I’ve liked what I’ve seen, so I’m prepared to extend it until the summer.
“It’s then up to him to get into the first-team fold, because there’s no point in me giving him a year and a half’s contract when he’s not actually featured in the first-team.
“Ultimately it’s up to him. If he comes back to me and says he’s looking for this or that, it’s up to him to look elsewhere.
“It’s an opportunity for him to get back to where he has been before, as there’s no doubt he was a very talented young player.
“From looking at him in training, I certainly see some very nice attributes. Being honest he’s probably on the periphery of that squad at the moment, but if he continues to get game time under his belt I think he has things that can win games at the top end of the pitch. He has natural ability.”
County host Kilmarnock in the Premiership tonight, with the Ayrshire men buoyed by an emphatic 5-1 win against Partick Thistle on Saturday.
Coyle has injury doubts over defender Sean Kelly and winger Michael Gardyne who both limped off from Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Rangers, but the Staggies manager is determined to make the most of home advantage against Steve Clarke’s men, adding: “Was the scoreline a bit flattering? Having watched it, I think Alan Archibald will be beside himself with some of the goals Partick lost.
“That said, you’ve still got to be there to capitalise on them and Kilmarnock were.
“We certainly know it will be a real challenge but we’re at home and on the back of the last home performance against Dundee, we want to get back to the level we’ve been at before. If we do that, of course, it’s a game we’re more than capable of winning.”
