St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright believes the Perth club have signed one of the “brightest prospects in the Championship” in Blair Alston.
It has taken a few months for Wright to get his man, but the Northern Irishman believes the Falkirk midfielder is worth the wait and he backed Alston to be a Premiership hit.
“I have kept in touch with Blair since I first met him back in January,” Wright said. We have been fully aware of his situation and he wanted to make sure everything was done right at Falkirk.
“He will add to our squad. Blair is young and ambitious. He is ready for the step-up and I’m really pleased to have got him.
“I believe Blair is one of the brightest prospects in the Championship. There was interest from other clubs and that was no surprise.
“He had been with Falkirk for a long time so compensation would have been quite high. The worry was that someone might come in and snatch him.
“Blair has played a lot of football for a young man and already has a wealth of first team experience.
“He can nick a goal and he has really quality about him.
“He can use his move here to kick on a move even higher in the game.”
Wright added: “Our financial offer might not have been the best but I believe this is the best place for Blair to make the next step.
“We have sold Stevie May and Michael O’Halloran in recent times, which is a sign we are doing things right. If a young player does well here they attract attention. We know that and accept it.
“There are no guarantees but players get an opportunity here. It is an established club and it is a good environment for playing your football.
“We offer a good platform for young players.”
Meanwhile, Dundee United’s Paul Paton is on holiday just now but Wright is planning to “speak to him over the next few days”.
“It’s ongoing,” Wright said. “We have our targets.
“Apparently I have even been turning down players – but it is the silly season.”
