Nicky Clark and Connor McLennan will give St Johnstone a penalty box presence and running power they’ve been lacking, according to manager Callum Davidson.
The Perth boss revealed that both his recent recruits were long-term targets he thought were out of reach.
And their unexpected availability has completed a successful transfer window.
“Nicky’s really good about the box,” said Davidson.
“We’ve got two hard workers up there in Theo (Bair) and Stevie (May).
“I wanted to bring in someone in who could sniff a goal out and be more of a penalty box striker.
“You must have that bit of quality and selfishness in the box.
⏰Nicky Clark's late double helped Dundee Utd beat Ross County 2-1 & end a run of six straight defeats👇 pic.twitter.com/CLUoAnRaTF
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 27, 2022
“I looked at two or three and I’m delighted to get Nicky over the line.
“I didn’t think he was available then he became available. He’s a great addition.
“He’s a good age – the peak of his career. Hopefully we can get the best out of him.
“There’s an opportunity here for him to prove himself. That’s why we brought him in.
“We lost Callum Hendry and Glenn Middleton from last season. We’ve added Jamie Murphy, Nicky Clark and now Connor McLennan. These are good additions.”
Wide forward McLennan
McLennan has a number of strings to his bow but he’s likely to end up focusing predominantly on one position during his season-long loan.
“Connor is full of pace and energy,” said Davidson. “He can play up front, can play wide and wing-back.
“He’s got real versatility to his game but we’d like to nail him down to one position. I definitely see that more on the attacking side.
“He’s a young lad, eager to get on with it. We had a wee go at the start of the season but couldn’t get him. We thought that was the deal finished.
Connor McLennan committing his future to the club until at least 2023 is excellent.
Now, start him over others jumping ship to other teams in the division. Here he is scoring against, not signing for, Rangers. pic.twitter.com/yWNkE8Ovce
— Red Point of View (@ARedPOV) January 28, 2021
“These things move, change and can reappear. It did at the end of the window and I thought it was too good an opportunity.
“We’re always looking at players who can improve us and I definitely think he’s one of them.
“We’ve good quality in Jamie (Murphy), Graham (Carey) and wee Max (Kucheriavyi) but we need players who can run with and without the ball. It was something we were missing in the team.”
Squad versatility achieved
Among Davidson’s aims in the summer window was enhancing the McDiarmid Park squad’s tactical flexibility.
He believes that has been achieved.
“I feel we’ve got adaptability and versatility,” said Davidson.
“I’ve got to make hard choices.
“For me is an unusual spot to be in but I’d rather that than scraping about trying to get a starting XI.
“Loads of changes are available. I’ve got the bench too.
“We can change tactics. I believe we’ve a good balance.
“I’m happy with what we’ve done in this window.
“I’ve managed to bring in 12 first team players and two or three development players, which is important for the club.”
Fringe players may yet leave Saints, Davidson confirmed.
“There will be some players who won’t be pleased where they are and we need to make sure we make the right decisions for them and the club that benefit everybody,” he said.
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