Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin says he will ideally watch a transfer target play live multiple times before deciding to launch a signing bid.
Thelin has already secured four signings this month and aims to add more before the transfer window shuts on Monday at 11pm.
The Swede is working closely with head of recruitment Nuno de Almeida to land further reinforcements in the winter window.
Thelin has to balance the hunt for new signings with the bid to haul Aberdeen out of a 13-game winless run in the Premiership.
The Swede says a player can only be judged fully by watching them in the flesh.
That is how Thelin decides if a transfer target meets the criteria required to launch a swoop to sign them.
Thelin said: “It is always good to see them (transfer targets) live – in more than one game.
“You can see much more when you watch a player live.
“You can see how they act when they’re leading in a game or if they are down.
“Watching them live can also show you if they are controlling a game or how they defend – also the player’s character on the pitch. You can also see their body language in difficult times, all these different kinds of things, such as their leadership.
“It’s always good to be there to see them live because you can see so much more.”
Aberdeen’s board have backed Thelin in the transfer window in a bid to haul the Dons out of their damaging league form.
The Reds have secured a paltry four points from the last possible 39.
Although fourth in the Premiership, the Dons, who face Hibs away on Saturday, are just five points clear of the bottom six.
Thelin signing players he knows
During the January transfer window, Thelin signed two players he had previously watched in action multiple times – Jeppe Okkels and Alexander Jensen.
Thelin managed Okkels for three seasons at Elfsborg in the Swedish top-flight before selling him to Dutch club Utrecht.
Winger Okkels was secured on loan from Preston North End until the end of the season, and Aberdeen have the option to make the move permanent if Okkels’ loan is a success.
Full-back Jensen played with Swedish Allsvenskan club Brommapojkarna for two seasons.
Thelin came up against Jensen on a number of occasions and swooped to sign the full-back in a £545,000 transfer from Brommapojkarna.
He said: “There are different ways to use on how to recruit players – sometimes we use the video more.
“In the long run, we’re going to keep working with our recruitment and our squad.”
Faith in January signing Tobers
The capture of Jensen was one of two major transfer outlays to strengthen the defence.
Centre-back Kristers Tobers was signed in a £600,000 transfer from Swiss top-flight club Grasshoppers.
Thelin also secured centre-back Alfie Dorrington, 19, on loan from Tottenham.
Latvia international captain Tobers arrived at Pittodrie this month with no game time for six weeks.
He last played for Grasshoppers on December 7.
However, such was the pressing need for defensive reinforcements, Tobers was pitched straight in for a starting debut days after signing, in a 0-0 draw with Hearts.
Thelin says Tobers understands “how to manage his body” to cope with being thrust straight into the starting line-up.
He said: “Kristers has been playing a lot of minutes since coming here, but has coped well with it.
“He understands how to manage his body and how he can spare some energy in some moments inside the games.
“Alexander Jensen has settled in well and Alfie Dorrington is performing better and better in the training sessions.
“It’s good to have more players with a good fitness level and no injuries.
“That can bring up the intensity in training and hopefully help us in games.”
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