Malky Mackay still hoping to make additions to Ross County squad as January transfer window deadline ticks closer – but no offers have come in for Premiership top scorer Regan Charles-Cook
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Malky Mackay says Ross County are still working on two deals as the transfer deadline approaches.
The January window slams shut at midnight tonight, and is the last chance for Premiership clubs to make signings or loans from other clubs – although players who are free agents will still be able to put pen-to-paper on deals once the deadline passes.
That could prove key to Mackay's transfer plans, as one is for a free agent, while another deal that he is less confident will go through in time is for a loan signing.
"We're doing a wee bit of work to try and see if we can push one over the line," Mackay revealed.
"There's one that's definitely done, and that will come out in the next day or so. There's one that we're trying to do, and I'm not sure whether we will be able to or not – it depends on a number of factors.
"I've said before that we're trying to pitch for people we might not get. I genuinely could go and sign five or six, but it would be great for today and tomorrow to get those headlines and they would come in and sit on the bench.
"That's not what I want to do. I want the club to spend money wisely and as efficiently as possible, for the good of the club.
"When we buy, I want us to buy for the longer term. There should be somebody coming in on a two-and-a-half year contract in the next day or so. It's a free agent, so we don't have the issue of it being done by tonight for that one – it's all done, it's just getting the last bit of work done on it.
"I'm hopeful we'll get a loan done, but I'm not sure. It's one where we've been in contact with the club, the player and his agent, and it's a situation between the other club and the player at the moment.
"I honestly don't know if it will get done. We've got eight or nine hours to go, and we've looked at him and targeted him, we've spoken to him and everything is comfortable at our end between both parties, it's just their situation.
"I'm 50/50 on that, because we're not in control of that one, but both of them are people that I think could come in and really help this squad."
While it seems as though Ross County will be adding at least one player to their squad in the coming days, many fans will be more concerned with whether any players will leave.
Several Staggies – including the Premiership's top scorer Regan Charles-Cook – are out of contract in the summer and are free to sign pre-contract agreements with other clubs now.
However, Mackay says County have had no bids for Charles-Cook this month, and does not believe the Grenada international has any pre-contract deal in place.
"I've had conversations with him, and he has told me he absolutely hasn't got a pre-contract signed anywhere," Mackay stressed.
"I've spoken about the structure that I'm looking for going forward with recruitment. I want to recruit, then we develop, reward and sell.
"The important bit of that model is reward. It's not great when we've got someone on a contract, and then they're playing better than that contract. At that point we have to reward them so that there's payment for the player and length for the club.
"If clubs come in, they are going to buy them anyway, and then we all share in it for the good of the football club and the good of the player.
"I say to players coming in that we are a stepping stone. While they're here, they will enjoy being here because it's a good environment and good people. It's a top stage, and how they go from there is up to them. They can spring on from here to bigger and better things, and that should be no disrespect to us as a football club, it's a business decision for us as a football club, that's us being smart.
"If we bring players in for a length of time, it means we can protect them and avoid – for example – the possibility of Regan walking at the end of the season.
"At the same time, I've got a player there who is committed to this club and the badge and is playing wonderfully well despite speculation and despite the possibility of him leaving at the end of the season.
"He's a great boy, and we've got another few in a similar situation where they are putting their heart and soul into the club. They're not playing a game, they're not deciding to switch off for now and turn it on again nearer the end of the season.
"While I see that, we value those guys, and if at the end of the season they move on and go to bigger and better things, Ross County should be really proud of that. I just want to make sure that going forward we can be proud of that, but from a business sense we're being smart as well."
