Caley Thistle manager John Robertson insists the club has done all it can to keep midfielder Iain Vigurs at Caledonian Stadium.
Vigurs is mulling over the offer of a three-year contract to remain at Inverness but has attracted interest from a number of clubs, with Dundee United, Dunfermline and English League One outfit Plymouth Argyle linked with the Aberdeen-born player.
Robertson has started to shape his squad for next season, having already signed Queen of the South right back Shaun Rooney, while a deal which will see Hearts midfielder Angus Beith arrive in the Highlands, in exchange for winger Jake Mulraney, is close to being completed.
Robertson insists former Ross County man Vigurs, who has been a stand-out performer for Caley Jags this season, is a key part of his plans, and he said: “Iain is going to be vital if we can keep him. He’s got a great offer from the club but he’s got options. That will be a key one for us.
“We start doing our stuff now. The swap deal with Jake and Angus Beith is moving ever closer. It’s not done yet, but it’s not far away.
“It will depend on who stays, as to how many we have to bring in. If we keep the guys we’ve got, it might only need to be another couple.
“We have got to do what every club in the Championship has to do, we have got to cut our cloth to suit.
“My job is to bring in players that suit the club’s budget, and are the best we can get for the budget.
“We feel we have done quite well this season in that respect. A lot of the players have come in and done very well for us, they have learned as they’ve gone in this very competitive league. We have to do the same next year.”
Caley finished the campaign in excellent form, remaining unbeaten in their final 12 games of the season, with seven wins from their last eight games, and Robertson hopes they can carry their momentum into next term in their push for promotion back to the top-flight.
He added: “It has been a terrific effort. To go and play eight matches in a calendar month is incredible effort from them, and to go unbeaten and win seven of them was tremendous. We were a whisker away from making it eight.
“It gives us renewed hope and excitement for next season. If we start next season as we finished this season, hopefully we have got a chance.
“To do that, we need to keep some of our players and maybe add one or two.”
