Stephen Robinson insists St Mirren might not be finished in this season’s transfer market. The Buddies boss confirmed the club are in talks with two players who are currently free agents.
Wing-back Ryan Alebiosu was the Paisley outfit’s only deadline day arrival after he joined on loan until the end of the season from Belgian Pro League side KV Kortrijk.
However, more business with free agents could be done by Premiership top-six hopefuls Saints who face Hearts in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at the SMiSA Stadium on Monday night.
“We’re in touch with two wide players at this moment,” Robbo said. “When I was out of contract, I was desperate to come and play and get in and get some money.
“But the football world has changed. Everybody’s quite relaxed and waiting to see their options. So, we’re always looking. People get paid up in January. Sometimes things drop that you weren’t expecting. That’s something we’ll obviously be keeping an eye on.
“We tried to bring in three players. My stance was we have to bring in starters – boys that are offering something different than our starters.
“I believe Ryan does that. He’s very attack minded and very, very quick. In games that are tight, he’s more like a winger at that right wing-back position. Elvis [Bwomono] has been great for us – defensively, very, very good. But it gives us another live attacking option.”
Saints will be missing Alex Iacovitti and Conor McMenamin for the visit of the Jambos and Robbo provided an update on the pair’s fitness fight.
“Conor is making slow progress,” the Northern Irishman added. “He had a slight tear of the bottom of his calf/top of his achilles. We’ve diagnosed it and he’s had injections in there that hopefully speeds up the process.
“But we’re not expecting Conor to play in the coming weeks. He’s been so unlucky with two really rare injuries. We’ll support him and we’ll get him fit as soon as we can. Big Yak is back doing a lot of stuff that should see him on the training pitch by Monday, training fully.
“We’re really short at centre-half at the moment with Charles [Dunne] leaving. We’ve got three fit centre-halves and young Luke Kenny so it will be good to have Yak back again.”
Robbo believes inflicting capital punishment on Neil Critchley’s Jambos can give Saints’ inconsistent campaign a timely boost. He said: “Hearts are a good side and invested heavily in the transfer window. Neil’s style of play has been put onto it
“I believe it can really put momentum into the season. You are four points away from the play-off place, you’re a point off the top six and five off fourth.
“I’ve never seen a league this tight. A cup run can give everybody momentum and kick on into the last eight games before the split.”
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