Steven MacLean will welcome the competition from David McMillan for a place in the St Johnstone team after the January break.
The Dundalk striker will arrive at McDiarmid Park with an excellent pedigree and his playing style has been likened to the Saints talisman.
The Perth side have only scored one home goal in seven matches and MacLean knows that Tommy Wright needed to bolster his options up front in the transfer window.
And the former Rangers and Aberdeen man is hoping that McMillan will make an immediate impact.
“I’d like to think he will hit the ground running,” said MacLean. “Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t when you come to a new club.
“It will depend on how his fitness is and what sort of lad he is. Sometimes players coming in here struggle with the training because it is quite high tempo.
“But we have a good dressing room and he will get a warm welcome.
“I don’t know what standard the football is over there and they probably slaughter our game.
“But David is coming in with an impressive goal scoring record and he has scored at Europa League and Champions League qualifying level. Obviously he has been doing something right.”
MacLean, who will also have Denny Johnstone and possibly Chris Kane as rivals for a starting place, added: “I have seen it all down the years.
“I have lost my place. I’ve been injured, dropped, binned and fallen out with managers.
“The way I see it, it’s good for the club and for competition. Whoever is playing well will be in the team.
“We needed another option. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned.”
The 35-year-old and his Saints team-mates won’t return to training until January 10 and MacLean admitted that he has mixed feelings about the winter break.
He said: “I’m taking the wife and kids to Tenerife for some sunshine.
“It’s about re-charging the batteries and being ready to go again.
“But I’m still not convinced by this winter break.
“You have six games in quick succession when you come back and the weather and the pitches can be dodgy. You are getting a rest then your body is getting done in again. The jury is still out.”