Caley Thistle manager John Hughes wants to reward the players who have helped establish the club as a force in Scottish football.
Inverness vice-captain Graeme Shinnie, defender Josh Meekings and leading goalscorer Billy Mckay are entering the final year of their contract and Hughes believes securing their long-term futures is more important than bringing new players to the club this summer.
He said: “Finishing fifth is good financially as it helps balance the books, but we want to bring in a couple of players if we can.
“If I can add to the squad I’m looking for players who don’t want to sit on the bench. I need players who want to be in the team, and it’s a tough one to get into as there is some really good quality here.
“That’s why my first priority is keeping the players who will be out of contract at the end of next season. I know I can rely on them and if I can give them a wage rise and keep them here that’s great.
“We’ll do the best we can but it will be well within our means.”
Caley Thistle ended another successful campaign with a fifth-place finish on Sunday, but Hughes expects the challenge of trying to remain in the top six for a third year in a row will be even harder next term.
Hughes has one of the smaller squads in the top flight and he knows he will have to box clever and utilise his players’s versatility to the maximum.
He said: “We’re a provincial club which has finished ahead of some of the big boys but we have to keep raising the bar.
“We’ve had a great couple of years here, but there is a target on our backs now and clubs will be coming for us. We have to meet that challenge.
“Getting in the top six again then finishing fifth is a great achievement for this club.
“We have an adaptable squad as you have seen in recent weeks. Graeme Shinnie has played in defence and midfield while Ross Draper dropped back to centre half against St Johnstone on Sunday.
“We have flexibility and that will be important next season when you consider the size of squad we have here.”