St Johnstone face a race against time to secure a work permit for Daniels Balodis to allow him to play in Saturday’s clash with St Mirren.
The Latvian international agreed a transfer to Perth last week and the 18-month deal has been officially confirmed.
However, he was due to fly into Scotland on Friday, only for Storm Eowyn to scupper those plans.
That had the knock-on effect of postponing the beginning of the work permit process.
With only one fit centre-half available for Saints’ last game against Motherwell, Simo Valakari would love to be able to include Balodis in his match-day squad in Paisley this weekend.
But that will depend on ticking all the necessary boxes.
“Daniels unfortunately was delayed by the storm,” Valakari reported.
“He was supposed to have his first part of the work permit English test on Saturday but that was cancelled.
“We can’t do anything about it.”
Meanwhile, Jack Sanders remains a Gillingham transfer target but that deal hasn’t been completed.
And Valakari reiterated that the Englishman missed the Motherwell match through illness.
“Jack was sick,” said the head coach. “He was on antibiotics.
“Let’s see how he has recovered from that and see what happens.”
There is still a possibility that Saints may make the loan signing of last week’s trialist, Kris Moore, but Valakari pointed out that other clubs are keen on the Leeds United defender.
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