Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin says bolstering his defence is the priority for the January transfer window.
The Dons return to action next weekend with the visit of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic to Pittodrie.
Goodwin’s side went into the World Cup break sitting third place in the league and with a League Cup semi-final against Rangers to look forward to on January 15.
The transfer window also opens next month and Goodwin admits he is keen to add to his squad, particularly in the defensive area.
Speaking to the club website, he said: “There are certain areas in the pitch that we need to strengthen.
“That is no negative slight on any players who are here and playing in those positions.
“I always think we need to strengthen the squad coming out of every window.
“You always need competition for places.
“The obvious position that people would look at and maybe talk about is the defensive cover.
“That is probably something that we don’t have a great deal of in the squad at the moment.
“I chose to go that way as I wanted to have an attacking-minded team.
“I wanted to have options at the top end of the pitch and that was why we went top heavy.
“I am aware we do need to recruit good, quality players in the defensive positions.
“That is to add to the quality we have already got – not to take anybody’s position.
“But to motivate the players in the team at the moment and make them realise there are people coming behind them if the standards drop.”
Aberdeen have been linked with a move for Tranmere Rovers right back Josh Dacres-Cogley.
The 26-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Dons could try to bring the attacking right back to Pittodrie next month if a fee can be agreed.
But Goodwin admits the January window is a difficult time to recruit.
He said: “The January window is not one I have ever been a huge fan of. I think every manager would say the same thing.
“You tend to be getting players who are free agents because they are out of favour at the clubs they are at or players who are lacking match fitness. It could be players coming back from long-term injuries and they become gambles.
“I’m not a gambling man. I’m not into taking risks when it comes to signing players.
“We are very well prepared going into the transfer window.
“I don’t like doing business last minute so whenever we are going into a summer window or a January window we will always be ahead of the game.
“We will always have the targets identified well in advance, which we have done at the moment.
“We would like to strengthen, obviously, but it is worth bearing in mind that we did invest a lot in the summer.
“There isn’t an endless pot of money that we can just keep dipping into.
“We have to balance the books at the same time, which I am very aware of.
“We have to be realistic.”
