The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Signing double
McIntyre looking to midfielder to make mark for Staggies
Caley Thistle and Ross County both strengthened their squads yesterday. Inverness bolstered their attacking options by adding French forward Lonsana Doumbouya, while County completed the signing off central midfielder Tim Chow.
Ross County manager Jim McIntyre is hopeful new signing Tim Chow can fill the void left by Jackson Irvine after the midfielder joined on a two-year contract from Wigan Athletic yesterday.
Central midfielder Chow became McIntyre’s sixth signing of the summer, with the 22-year-old leaving his hometown club after making 19 appearances in three years.
Chow was under contract until next summer with the newly promoted English Championship outfit but was allowed to leave a year early by manager Gary Caldwell, with the Latics due a signing on fee should County sell him.
County are aiming to have Chow’s registration finalised in time for him to take his place in the squad for tomorrow’s Premiership trip to take on Hamilton Accies.
McIntyre reckons Chow will bring some of the attributes lost to the Staggies when the influential Irvine left to join Burton Albion this summer in a £300,000 deal.
McIntyre said: “He’s a modern, box-to-box midfielder at a good age and he’skeen to test himself at a good level.
“He’s not got loads of experience but he’s been in and around the team at Wigan for the last couple of years, at League One and the Championship. It’s a great opportunity for him.
“We were looking for the energy levels thatwe sawin Jackson and we’ve seen it with Martin Woods and Christopher Routis this season, getting up and down and into goalscoring positions.
“We needed competition and we knew that when Jackson left. This is a great chance for Tim.
“Gary reluctantly let him go. He signed a new deal last season but we agreed that if Tim was to be transferred in the future there would be a sell-on clause, which they deserve because they developed him.
“If he’s registered he’ll go into the squad for the Hamilton game.”
McIntyre remains keen to add further to his squad and has been linked with a loan move for Newcastle United midfielder Alex Gilliead but says he will not rush into any moves despite Wednesday’s transfer deadline, adding:“We’re always looking for good players that can enhance the squad. That’s an ongoing process, whether the window is open or not.”
“He’s a modern, box-to-box midfielder at a good age”