Caley boss John Hughes looks to follow Terry Butcher’s example in the transfer market

Inverness manager to take wheeler-dealer approach in the transfer market.

Caley boss John Hughes has revealed he will follow predecessor Terry Butcher’s example in the transfer market by concentrating on bagging bargains.

Hughes’ stated priority this month is to commit his key men to longer contracts but he also hopes to bring in “one or two” new faces.

With budgets tight, any new recruits are likely to be of the rough-diamond variety favoured by Butcher. But Hughes believes the right additions and retentions this month could ensure he won’t need to add in the summer.

He said: “We’re looking anywhere for players. The phone’s non-stop but there are budgets. It’s not like we can bring in five players because we don’t have that kind of money. But with one or two leaving it might let us do one or two pieces of business, if we can find a bargain.

“But I’d like to think towards the end of the season I’ll not be looking for anything because the boys have proved to me that they can be winners. If we can get them all tied up, we should be ready to go.”

Inverness have paid the price for being too open in recent games, while Dundee United are another team noted for their expansive approach.

That, says Hughes, makes today’s clash between the teams an exciting prospect though he admits his side need to rediscover some of the steel that has seen them beat the Tangerines twice this season.

He said: “We’ve got a squad here who knew how to win a football match. That comes with experience and we need to get back to that. We have been playing a lot of good football ourselves, maybe too much and too expansive.

“We have to adapt and I’m quite sure Jackie will come and adapt to our style as well. But if he’s watched us over past few weeks, he will probably realise that we have been playing a more expansive style and that should be a recipe for a right good game.”