Duncan Ferguson has already handed the Caley Thistle board his January wishlist and is hopeful they will help him add to his Championship squad.
The Inverness boss has this month been looking at possible recruits, but has now got other players in mind, which he hopes the club can finance in order to strengthen his squad.
Last week, Ferguson, who celebrated his 52nd birthday on Wednesday, explained he’s contacted English Premier League side Everton, where he starred as player and was caretaker manager, in a bid to attract “quality” signings.
Ferguson hopeful of new ICT arrivals
His contacts are being utilised far and wide and he hopes it leads to activity, even if it takes until the end of next month.
He said: “We’ve had two or three trialists in and, while they’ve not secured contracts, we’ll keep looking.
“The recruitment process is ongoing all the time. We’re almost at the transfer window and we’re looking to get two or three in if we can. I am hoping the club can back me on that.
“Ideally, you’d want players in within the first week in January, but it never happens like that. It’s always at the last minute.
“We’ve identified players already and told the club what we’re looking for and I am sure they will do their very best to secure some of these transfers.”
Inverness are still waiting to discover if the “strong deal” on the table for attacker David Wotherspoon will persuade him to sign beyond his current contract, which ends next month.
Lodovica faces months on sidelines
Ferguson, meanwhile, revealed that forward Harry Lodovica could face several months on the sidelines due to ankle ligament issues.
The 24-year-old former Chelmsford striker, who was signed in the summer by Billy Dodds, has failed to make the breakthrough, with all 12 appearances coming from the bench.
The manager said of the forward, who has yet to score a competitive goal: “Harry could be out for a few months, or longer. He’s had an ongoing problem with one of his ligaments in an ankle.
“We are waiting for test results to come back, so we will see how long he will be out for. It does look like a nasty one.”
Point at Partick encourages manager
This Saturday, eighth-placed ICT host Morton, who are three places but only one point above them in a jam-packed bottom half of the Championship.
The Ton, who defeated Inverness 2-1 at Cappielow on December 12, are on a five-game unbeaten stretch, with their 0-0 draw against Airdrie following four straight victories.
🔜 Matchday Info: Greenock Morton (H)
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After back-to-back defeats against Morton and Arbroath, the Caley Jags drew 1-1 at third-placed Partick Thistle on Saturday.
Ferguson saw enough to be encouraged about ahead of this weekend’s clash with the visitors from Greenock to round off 2023.
He added: “Partick are a very good team, but we matched them all the way and, on another day, we might have won the game because we had a couple of strong penalty shouts we never got.
“It was encouraging. We have a good team and, after one or two negative results of late, we bounced back with a draw at Partick.
“I was really happy with the boys, and I thought we played really well.”
Inverness kick off the new year with back-to-back away league games. On Tuesday, they travel to Airdrie for a 3pm kick-off, then a week on Saturday, Ayr United are their hosts.