‘In the mix’ on deadline day

Derek McInnes expressed that the club is still very much “in the mix” for a deadline day deal, but admits that he’s already satisfied with the current size and competitiveness of his squad.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, McInnes said: “We’re still trying to bring someone in and everybody is working flat out to do that. We’ve got one in particular, but two or three other plates are spinning. We’re trying to lean on everything possible to get a deal done. Good support from the board, and good support from my recruitment team: the staff are trying to ensure that we deliver a signing.

“I think you’ve got to be optimistic, but we’re optimistic without being overly confident. There’s a chain – when someone becomes available, there’s more than one club after them. We’re in the mix.

“I’m pleased with the level of player we have got in the squad. Sometimes you can have too many numbers and we’ve had to utilise the budget to ensure that we have a competitive squad, but not too many at the same time.”

The manager also took time out of previewing this weekend’s fixture to praise the supporters after breaking a 30-year Season Ticket sale record. He added: “I think we’ve got a really strong younger fanbase. It’s important that we try and tap into that and grow as much as we can. It’s testament to everybody, not just the players and the performances, but everyone within the club is driving that. From the Board to the players, everybody is delighted with the response of the fans.

“I do feel that they’re encouraged and optimistic about what they’ve seen so far and it’s important that we try to keep that going.”

You can listen to the full press conference – HERE.