Caley Thistle manager John Robertson says defender Robbie Deas does not have far to look for inspiration in his target of reaching the Premiership.
Deas has joined Inverness on a three-year deal after leaving Celtic, with the 20-year-old having impressed during a loan spell with Alloa Athletic in the Championship last season.
After completing the move north, Deas outlined his ambition to return to the top flight by helping the Highlanders win promotion from the second-tier.
Inverness have lost an entire backline to top flight clubs this year, with Jamie McCart and Shaun Rooney joining St Johnstone, while Coll Donaldson and Carl Tremarco have moved to rivals Ross County.
Deas was earlier this week joined by fellow defender Danny Devine, who returned to the Highlanders following a spell with Dunfermline.
Robertson says Caley Jags’ recent success in developing players can give Deas hope, adding: “Robbie has taken a similar path to Jamie McCart. He’s a little bit younger, but he showed his ambition by playing at Cowdenbeath on loan for half a season and then playing a full season with Alloa.
“We hope he will develop in the same time as Jamie.
“We saw when Jamie first came back, he had to fight to get into the team to get past Brad and Coll and he eventually did that with his performances. He wants to develop. He has seen what has happened to other defenders we have had – if you look at our entire back four at the start of last season, they have all gone to the Premiership.”
Deas made 26 appearances for Wasps last season and spent the previous campaign with Cowdenbeath.