St Mirren eye new striker before summer transfer window shuts

The Saints boss wants to add to his frontline but says the club may need to sell players before that can happen.

Stephen Robinson says transfers in and out of St Mirren are still possible as he eyes up a new striker.

The Buddies are looking to reinforce their front line before the window slams shut in under two weeks — with the view of getting a player who can offer something different to Jonah Ayunga and Mikael Mandron.

Having already had one of the busiest summers in the league, alongside this weekend’s Premiership opponents Rangers, the club have seen 12 players put pen to paper on SMiSA Stadium deals.

And Robbo doesn’t want to stop there as he looks to see what the rest of the window might throw up but concedes someone might need to exit before anyone else comes in.

“I’m always looking to do business,” the Paisley chief said. “Maybe one has to go before that happens but we’re always looking.

“A striker with a lot of pace would be a good signing for us. I think it would give us another way to win football matches.

“We’re still trying to get people up to speed. We’re still trying to find our best formation that works with this group of boys. We’ve brought wingers in who aren’t quite ready to play yet.

“Jalmaro [Calvin] everyone expects to come in and hit the ground running. He’s only played three pre-season games. He didn’t play from the middle of April. He’s not used to playing at this level.

“Malik [Dijksteel] is still getting up to fitness after having the flu as well.

“So, actually having the wingers available to change the system and look at other options hasn’t been affordable to us so far, in the league anyway.”

Although a core of the squad which has been successful under Robbo, right, have stayed on this season, 10 new faces join the club on top of Roland Idowu and Killian Phillips turning their loans into permanent moves.

Liam Donnelly, Richard King, Ryan Mullen, Jayden Richardson, Tunmise Sobowale, Miguel Freckleton, Shamal George, Keanu Baccus, Calvin and Dijksteel have all entered the building this summer.

Naturally, there will be a bedding in period for most of the players who have arrived from south of the border or further afield.

However, after making the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup courtesy of a penalty shoot-out win over Hearts on Saturday, Saints are beginning to look like they are gelling together.

And that is where Robbo has called for patience as he outlined how it will be a gradual process getting the team to its peak level.

He said: “What you have to do is remember the success that the core of this group has given the club. And with these guys, you can’t rip it up completely.What you’re trying to do is tweak slowly.

“They’ve got the quality, they’ve got the pace but they’re not there in terms of understanding their levels of fitness.

“And that’s something they have to do. It’s up to them to get into the team.

“People say, ‘I get chances, I don’t get chances’. You get a chance every single day you walk into this football club.

“They’re coming into our top-six squad and that is the goal — meet our standards.”

The Buddies gaffer also gave his thoughts on the Rangers game being called off — then put back on again – after the Light Blues waived the right to a postponement which would have allowed them to concentrate on their Champions League play-off with Belgian cracks Club Brugge.

He added: “We wanted the game on. We’re pleased that the game’s on because it does disrupt things.

“You can only do so much in training without actually being executed in a proper match. So, we’re pleased the game’s on and we look forward to the match.”

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