January is here which means only one thing for football
clubs – it’s time to freshen up the squad for one final push in the
second half of the season.
Could a loan player make the difference in Aberdeen’s title challenge?
Will Caley Thistle do any more business after extending Miles Storey’s loan deal today?
Will Ross County manager Jim McIntyre ring the changes for the third window in a row?
All these questions and more will be answered in the next four weeks.
Here, we look at the scenarios facing each Scottish Premiership club.
Aberdeen
Loan players Ryan McLaughlin and Josh Parker have returned to
their parent clubs Liverpool and Red Star Belgrade respectively, so
manager Derek McInnes could look to bring in others with a midfielder a possibility given Ryan Jack’s latest hamstring injury.
McInnes said: “I don’t anticipate any player who is playing regularly here leaving. As for players coming in, we’re not scrambling to get things done.”
Celtic
Ronny Deila rejuvenated his side this time last year with the signings Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven from Dundee United for a
combined £2million and will look to do business again.
Celtic have looked vulnerable defensively, have missed the injured Charlie Mulgrew and Scott Brown in midfield and lack reliable cover for leading scorer Leigh Griffiths. Peripheral players Anthony Stokes and Derk Boerrigter could move on.
Deila said: “It’s always tougher but we did some good transfers last January and hopefully we can do it now as well.
“We have to get signings who can do better and hopefully get us into
Champions League qualification.”
Dundee
Despite having a strong squad, Paul Hartley is fond of wheeling and dealing and has been linked with a loan move for West Ham’s former Hamilton left back Stephen Hendrie.
His main concern, though, is keeping hold of attacker Greg Stewart.
Hartley said: “We definitely want to hold on to him and we will try our
best to do that in the January window, but it might be difficult.”
Dundee United
Mixu Paatelainen has already signed four players since arriving in October – Gavin Gunning, Eiji Kawashima, Guy Demel and Florent
Sinama Pongolle.
Their impact has been limited by a mixture of fitness, injury and bureaucratic issues and Paatelainen might delve further into the transfer market if United remain isolated at the bottom, although
forward Robbie Muirhead is back from his loan spell with Partick Thistle.
Paatelainen said: “There might be one or two players arriving and one
or two players leaving but nothing drastic. I feel we’ve improved our squad quite well already and we’ll get better in due course when those players settle in.
“One or two additions to the squad in January is needed.”
Hamilton
Accies could receive bids for Ali Crawford but might be reluctant to sell
before the summer given they are slipping down the table and initially struggled badly after losing manager Alex Neil,
Tony Andreu and Mickael Antoine-Curier last January.
Current manager Martin Canning said: “We have been keeping an eye
out for a while to see if we can strengthen and we’re continuing to look.
“The squad is strong right now – certainly the strongest in my time here
– so we don’t need to add volume, just one or two players who can bring extra quality.”
Hearts
Manager Robbie Neilson is seeking a forward but the likes of Callum
Paterson, Sam Nicholson, Jordan McGhee and Osman Sow – who is out of contract in the summer – could attract interest.
Neilson said: “Keeping the players we’ve got is probably more important
than bringing anybody else in.
“The pleasing thing is we don’t need to sell to balance the books. I don’t
need to bring anybody in but we’re actively looking for one forward.”
Caley Thistle
Manager John Hughes has today extended Miles Storey’s loan from
Swindon and is looking for another forward.
Tobi Sho-Silva could return to Charlton after failing to start a game
during his loan spell.
Hughes said: “I’m hoping we can get one or two up the top end
just to help the team along.”
Kilmarnock
Manager Gary Locke looks set to lose 18-year-old midfielder Greg Kiltie,
who is out of contract in January and has impressed this season, although Killie will be due compensation.
Locke said: “It is very difficult due to the financial situation at the club but everyone is well aware with the results we have had so far this
season it would be ideal if we could bring in a couple of fresh faces. But we will have to move players out first because the budget is spent.”
Motherwell
Motherwell have extended the loan deals of Middlesbrough goalkeeper
Connor Ripley and Manchester United midfielder Liam Grimshaw but Jake Taylor’s loan from Reading looks set to end.
Manager Mark McGhee is unlikely to add players, saying: “We have no great plans for the window. If something presents itself that I feel is going to benefit us then I will consider it. But we have young players here I want to learn about before next season. As long as we can
keep getting the points we are getting then I would be happy to run with what we have.”
Partick Thistle
Manager Alan Archibald is aiming to add some attacking players, saying: “I think there is a bit of money there. Robbie Muirhead goes back to Dundee United so that will free up a bit of space.
“Meanwhile, Ryan Edwards is going to play with Australia in the
under-23s – it could be two weeks, it could be four weeks, so we
probably need to strengthen in that middle to front area. Probably
two players, if we can get the right ones.”
Ross County
Having turned their season around with major January recruitment drives for the last three years, fifth-placed County
have little need to act.
Goalkeeper Gary Woods is staying until the end of the season on loan from Leyton Orient.
Manager Jim McIntyre said: “I’m happy with the squad we have. If the right player comes up and we feel that he can benefit the good players that we already have here, then we might look at that.”
St Johnstone
Manager Tommy Wright is looking for one player and will hope the club can hold on to impressive attacker Michael O’Halloran.
Wright said: “I would like to get a left-sided midfielder in. We’ve got people who can play there but I would like something different – that’s it.”