Aberdeen have resurrected their pursuit of Hamilton captain Mikey Devlin.
The central defender has not featured for Accies this season due to a cruciate ligament injury suffered against Dundee in May.
The original diagnosis was an absence of between six and nine months but as he nears a return to fitness Dons manager Derek Mc-Innes is keen to bring the player to Pittodrie.
Accies have rejected an offer from the Dons for the 24-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, but McInnes, who was monitoring Devlin a year ago before injury struck, remains interested.
Devlin is a man in demand, however, with Ipswich Town, Cardiff City and Preston North End, managed by Devlin’s former manager Alex Neil, also keeping tabs on the player.
Aberdeen have refused to comment on their interest but the Dons hope they can beat the English clubs to the punch by convincing Devlin to stay in Scotland and move to Pittodrie this month should they agree a fee with Accies.
While the Dons are looking to add to their squad before the window closes midfielder Kenny McLean is attracting interest from England, with Norwich joining the list of admirers for his services.
The Canaries have been linked with a £500,000 move for Scotland international McLean but the Dons say there has been no bid for their player.
McLean is out of contract in the summer and has told McInnes he will not be signing a new deal.
McLean earned his second Scotland cap in November during a 1-0 friendly defeat to Holland and has notched four goals in 25 club appearances and interest in him is increasing as he nears the end of his contract at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen rejected a £300,000 bid from Rangers in the summer for the former St Mirren captain but Norwich appear keen to sign McLean this month.
Should McLean, who moved to Pittodrie three years ago from St Mirren in a £175,000 deal, join the Canaries he will team up with former Don James Maddison, who spent the first half of last season on loan from Norwich.
One player who has left Pittodrie is midfielder Craig Storie. The 22-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at St Mirren in the Championship, made 15 appearances for the Dons.