Aberdeen hope to bring Leeds United striker Ryan Edmondson in on loan as cover for the injured Sam Cosgrove.
The Dons have made a move to bring the England under-19 international on loan until January and hope to finalise a deal in time for the player to join the squad for tomorrow’s Premiership opener against Rangers at Pittodrie.
Cosgrove, last season’s leading scorer has been ruled out until November with a cruciate ligament injury and with Curtis Main also injured the Dons have been left with just Bruce Anderson as a fit recognised striker.
McInnes wants a new striker in, ideally in time for tomorrow’s game.
The Dons boss said: “We have been looking since Saturday, really. We were hopeful Curtis was going to be fit for the Rangers game but unfortunately he won’t make it. He’s got a little thigh strain, as has been the way when boys have been coming back.
“He has been eager to get back and putting the work in. But with him out and Sam long term, of course we are going to have to try to get someone in.
“Clearly we are restricted financially. We are also a wee bit restricted in terms of options. Half of England hasn’t really kicked a ball since March. We are looking at a lot of the younger boys in the Championship squads and Premier League squads in England.
“We have run up a few cul-de-sacs but are still hoping we can maybe bring one in, if not ahead of the Rangers then hopefully next week.
“We are hopeful Curtis won’t be out too long. But obviously when your top goalscorer goes down on the eve of the season it’s not ideal. We’ll try to get someone on board to help with the start of the campaign.”
McInnes, who has ruled out a move for Steven Fletcher, says a loan will be the club’s likely option and the Press and Journal understands Edmondson, who moved to the Championship winners in 2017, is the man they want to bring on board.
McInnes said: “We’re grateful we’ve got wee Bruce back and doing particularly well. What we don’t have is if anything is to happen to Bruce during the game, then we don’t have the luxury of being able to change things up the pitch.
“That’s what we’ll go and try and do between now and Saturday. If not, we’ll look at it again after the game.
“Everybody connected to the club, chairman, myself, we ask what the alternatives are. We know where we are financially and are restricted in what we can do.
“That’s no great surprise but the chairman understands the situation we’re in, as do others at the club, and it’s up to us to put options in front of the club and see if we can get a deal done.
“It will more than likely be a loan. Even if it was a short term one to January to try and see us through.
“We wouldn’t ordinarily be adding to the squad, so anything that happens will be in addition to the budget. So it will be a loan or short term deal.”
