McInnes ready to spend a message at Dons
McGinn deal a priority as Pittodrie boss eyes cash splash in January
DEREK McINNES has made Niall McGinn the No.1 target of a New Year spending spree he hopes will keep Aberdeen on Celtic’s tails.
The Dons boss will ask chairman Stewart Milne to release funds in the January transfer window from sales including Jonny Hayes’s £1million switch to Parkhead.
McInnes has made bringing McGinn back to Pittodrie for a second spell a priority after he left South Korean side Gwangju a few weeks ago.
But he’ll face competition from Hibs and Hearts for the Northern Ireland star as he bids to recruit wisely to remain best of the rest in the Premiership.
McInnes said: “Niall is someone we speak to regularly. We’re well aware he’s recovering from a hernia operation. Like most good players – and Niall is a very good player – when they become free agents they’ll always have options.
“I hope there is encouragement from him to come back to Pittodrie and we’ll have the chance to work with him again.
“In terms of what we can do in January we will find out then. We will assess the squad in the next few weeks and see if there is any willingness to rejig things.
“There may well be a chance to manipulate the squad a bit and bring one or two in.
“We brought over a hundred grand in for Jayden Stockley who went to Exeter and over £1million in the deal for Jonny Hayes to Celtic, so there has been money brought in.
“Some of that has been put back into the squad for Gary Mackay-Steven and Stevie May as well as re-signing players for the long term.
“But we have brought decent money in, attendances have been good and we have had an upturn in the revenue.
“It’s important we get as much value on the pitch as possible and maintain the standards we have set in the last few years.
“Hopefully we can have a good January transfer window to help us do exactly that.”
Meanwhile, McInnes refused to be drawn on his chairman’s call for Rangers to apologise for “having a go” after he turned down a move to Ibrox.
He would only comment on his respect for the passionate Dons chief as he focused on getting a win at St Johnstone tonight that will help his men edge closer to Celtic.
McInnes said: “When you work with people over a period of time you build trust and respect. Stewart has a real energy for the club.
“He is keen to improve the training ground and stadium. From the first time I spoke to him at my interview he was a guy I wanted to work for.
“I’m hoping we follow up the display against Dundee.
“We need to get results and see where that takes us at the end of December. I hope we’re not too detached from any team above us.
“But Saints have experience and a good squad. You’d be surprised not to see them in the top six or even four.”