Callum Davidson impressed by Nadir Ciftci’s impact as he provides Zander Clark transfer update
CALLUM DAVIDSON has already seen enough of Nadir Ciftci to suggest the Turkish striker will be a “great addition” to his St Johnstone side.
The 29-year-old former Dundee United and Celtic player joined Saints on January 5 until the end of the season from MKE Ankaragucu in his homeland.
Ciftci, who also previously had a loan spell at Motherwell, could make his St Johnstone debut in the cinch Premiership match against Hearts at Tynecastle on Tuesday night where the McDiarmid Park club will look to start their climb off the bottom of the table after eight-successive defeats in all competitions before the winter break.
The Perth club’s boss is encouraged by Ciftci’s early work on the training pitch.
“Once I got offered him, I said yes straight away to it, I didn’t even think about it,” said Davidson, who “wouldn’t comment” on reports that he had made a bid for Inverness defender Robbie Deas, while revealing that midfielder Craig Bryson could be out for up to eight weeks with an ankle problem that requires surgery.
“It was a good one. He has come in and he’s in very good shape. He has something to prove himself.
“It is good getting Nadir where his head is, what he wants to do and now it is up to him to go and do that.
“I have seen enough glimpses in training and things in training to make me believe that he will be a great addition to the team.
“He will be good for the strikers, good for the midfielders running beyond as well so there is a lot of positives there and I think it is a big signing for St Johnstone.”
Asked about reports that Aberdeen had informed the Perth club that they would be speaking to goalkeeper Zander Clark about signing a pre-contract, Davidson said: “A lot of clubs have been interested in Zander, not just Aberdeen.
“He has probably been our best player so far this season.
“He will be able to have a pick of clubs, hopefully there will be clubs in England as well, interested.
“It is a big chance for him. He has been here for 10 years now. It is a big, big decision for him to make.
“If he keeps performing the way he does, he will have a lot more choices than just Aberdeen.”
On the absence of Bryson, Davidson told a number of newspapers: “Everyone is fit apart from Craig Bryson.
“Craig will be out for six to eight weeks. He was struggling towards the end of that run of games in December.
“He has had a wee niggling problem with his ankle and needs an operation.
“Craig put his body on the line because we were struggling for players. He deserves a lot of credit for that.
“It’s a big blow for him but we have others who are fit and ready to go.”
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