‘Quality’ Jambos winger Walker on Saints’ radar

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has confirmed that Hearts winger Jamie Walker is on his radar. But the Perth boss is keeping his options open for the January transfer window.

Walker, who hasn’t started a Premiership match for Robbie Neilson this season and is out of contract in the summer, will be allowed to leave Tynecastle next month.

Saints are interested in snapping up the 28-year-old. However, Davidson will be casting his net wider over the next few weeks.

“Jamie is obviously a top* quality player,” he said. “A good attacking player. He’s someone I’d be interested in. There are a lot of players outwith Jamie.

“I want players who will start or make a contribution. I want players to put pressure on the ones I have.

“This is a really important window for me.

“I’ve said that I’m keen to strengthen and I’m sure I’ll be linked with a lot of players between now and January.”

Before he can get any January deals over the line, Davidson expects to sign loan midfielder Ali Crawford – and a free agent may also be recruited.

“Hopefully we’re close to agreeing new deals with a couple of players we’ve got already,” he reported. “Ali Crawford is very close.

“I’m looking at the free transfer market again to see what’s about.

“We’ve got a really important run of games and we need to make sure we’re sorted for them.”

What Davidson has seen of the last club-less man he brought in, Viv Solomonotabor, certainly hasn’t put him off dipping back into those free agent waters.

“It’s about the character of the player as much as anything,” he said. “Why they’ve not got a club.

“Circumstances, like longterm injuries, can often be the reason. Viv is getting better and better. He can go by people and is decisive when he’s got the ball.

“Normally you would wait until January.

“But it’s been a theme of our season that we’re getting injuries in one area at the same time. At the moment it’s midfielders. That has made me look at the market a bit earlier.

“Last year we were fortunate with injuries but we’ve not had that same good luck this time.”

Callum Davidson says rearranging St Johnstone’s Premiership clash with Ross County for the New Year would have been the sensible decision.

Instead, the Perth side will face seven games in 23 days, starting against Aberdeen on Saturday, after the postponed fixture was squeezed into that schedule just before Christmas.

“We were really disappointed that the game was called off, first and foremost,” said Davidson.

“We knew this was going to be a busy period as it was.

“For me, I’ve always said that we play a lot of games in December in the worst weather and on the darkest nights.

“It’s the SPFL’S decision and it will mean cramming in another fixture just before Christmas.

“It’s a busy time of year for supporters, not just talking about football. It’s an expensive time.

“I’m not complaining about it but I just thought maybe we could have played it a bit later on when there’s not such a busy run of games.”

This month’s damage to the Mcdiarmid Park pitch could yet become an issue for Davidson and his players.

“It is difficult with the home games (against Celtic and County) within two or three days of each other,” he said.

“It’s lucky the Ross County game wasn’t rearranged for Tuesday because it would probably have been off after the storm came in.

“There was just so much water on the pitch. So I am a little concerned about it. There is only so much you can do with the water table being so high.

“But we will do our best to make sure it is ready for the games ahead.”

Davidson meanwile insists he is fully focused on improving Saints’ fortunes after he was linked with the managerial vacancy at Preston earlier this week.

The Saints boss, who spent seven years as a player at Deepdale, was reportedly on his former club’s shortlist to take over from Frankie Mcavoy, who left his role on Monday.

However, the Sky Bet Championship side moved swiftly to appoint Plymouth manager Ryan Lowe on Tuesday.

Davidson said: “There was no contact but I was flattered to be linked with it. It’s nice to be linked with your old clubs.

“That happens in football, but there was no contact so there’s not a lot to say about it really.

“It wasn’t a distraction because nobody contacted me. If somebody contacted me and we had discussions, it might have been a different answer, but for me, I’m really focused on making sure St Johnstone do better.

“I’ve got a big job on my hands here and I’m fully focused on that. We’ve got huge games coming up, so I’ve really only got thoughts on how to get results.”

Davidson also revealed Stevie May is back in training and could even return for St Johnstone against his old club Aberdeen.

The Perth boss feared both May and Glenn Middleton would be sidelined until Christmas.

The Rangers loan forward was available last Saturday to face Ross County, several weeks ahead of schedule.

And now the three-time Saints cup winner, who scored the only goal of the game at Pittodrie when the sides last met, is also closing in on a return.

“Stevie has trained this week, stepping it up each day,” Davidson reported. “And that’s good news. “Saturday might come too soon for him but it’s good to have him returning to the fold.

“Glenn could have played on Saturday. He is fine and has had another week’s training.

“Training has been good this week. Everyone has come through it.”

CONGESTION: St Johsntone’s game against Ross County on Saturday was called off at short notice due to a waterlogged pitch.