Steven MacLean has lamented having no new signings to field when St Johnstone’s season starts at Stenhousemuir tomorrow.
Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov will become MacLean’s first signing as manager.
The club were last night still awaiting paperwork to be processed before announcing a deal for the ex-Cambridge number one.
And the 26-year-old won’t feature in the Viaplay Cup opener.
MacLean revealed Saints missed out on another signing target he had hoped to secure in recent days.
He said: “The only downside is I’d have probably liked three or four more players in.
“In hindsight you look at it, you want these competitive games but you’d rather have your squad in place.
“But I’m comfortable with what I’ve got. If I’ve got everyone fit, then I’ve got a good nucleus.
“We’re very close and just waiting on a couple of things with one signing.
“But we’ve missed out on another we thought we might have got.”
Mitov left Cambridge at the end of his contract after playing a huge role in a late-season escape from the League One relegation zone.
There was firm interest from the English Championship and third tier so his capture represents something of a coup for Saints.
Mitov views the platform the Perth club can provide in Scotland as a launchpad to bigger things.
Mitov will immediately be targeting to oust Ross Sinclair, who played the final two Premiership games of last season.
The 22-year-old featured in pre-season friendlies against Dunfermline and East Fife and will start at Stenny.
MacLean insisted Sinclair has a big future at the club regardless of Mitov’s arrival.
The manager explained: “I’ve always said I want to bring a keeper to challenge Ross.
“We’ve always known Ross is going to be a top goalkeeper and hopefully he’ll be here for a long time.
“But it’s important to have competition. Ross has had a few injuries so it was good for him to go out on loan to Montrose.
“We saw the improvement in him when he came back. He got a chance and did well, then came back for pre-season looking good in the games.
“Bringing in another keeper will be good for him, push him and make him better.”
Luckless striker Chris Kane is set for a scan on an ankle problem and joins Nicky Clark and Dan Phillips in missing the competitive kick-off.
Cammy MacPherson and James Brown are ‘touch and go’ for Ochilview.
‘Front foot’
A failure to progress from their group was an uninspiring Saints start to 2022/23.
They also face Alloa, Ayr and Stirling Albion this year and MacLean said: “We want to make sure we’re in that knockout draw.
“It didn’t help going out last year. It brings negativity. So we want to be on the front foot, win games, make the fans happy and top the group.
“We need to make sure the mindset is spot on. If you don’t start these games properly you leave yourself open to an upset.”
