Davidson admits he’s playing waiting game

Callum Davidson has not completely given up hope of Zander Clark staying at St Johnstone – with a contract offer for the double-winning goalkeeper still on the table.

But the Perth boss is a realist and has drawn up a shortlist of half a dozen candidates to replace the Scotland squad man, who has been linked with Dundee United and a move to England.

And talks have already taken place with potential new recruits to make sure a priority position is filled, as Davidson admitted “it’s one we need to get right”.

“We have been working hard for months on the goalkeeping position because Zander was the player we most expected to move on,” he said.

“I have been working closely with Paul Mathers to identify goalkeepers we think can come here and do a job for us. We have five or six targets drawn up and the conversations have been happening to see which of them we can get.

“We need someone capable of coming here and going straight in as number one.

“Zander has been such a key part of St Johnstone and he’s showed, as well as Alan Mannus before him, how important it is to have a strong number one.

“It’s a really important position and one we need to get right.”

With Callum Hendry and Jamie McCart in the same boat as Clark, Saints are still waiting on definitive answers from them as well.

“We have made the best offers we can to Zander, Callum and Jamie,” he reported.

“The club has spoken to them.

“The offers are there and we will just have to wait and see what they decide to do.”

Davidson added: “What I will say about the lads – and Shaun Rooney as well – is they were all brilliant for me right up to the final minute of the last game of the season.”

Callum Davidson.