After presenting Adelaide United’s latest recruit, Uruguayan Francisco Usucar, Reds coach Rini Coolen has confessed there will be another signing during the international transfer window in January.
While the Dutchman refused to name the player, he hoped to be able to present the new signing in a couple of days.
Coolen said United were in talks with a “few” people and a striker was definitely on the way.
“There are a few people that we are talking with,” he said.
“It isn’t good to mention names, but it is a striker who can play on both sides of the wings. At the moment it isn’t 100 percent sure but things are still going on but it’s better to say something when we’re 100 percent sure,” Coolen said.
“We hope to present him in a couple of days or maybe in a couple of weeks.”
The Reds’ new signing, Usucar, is a holding midfielder and will be expected to challenge the likes of Paul Reid and Adam Hughes for a position in the centre of the park.
Coolen conceded the pair had been standouts for the Reds this season, but said if United were to take the next step they needed more options and healthy competition for places in the starting XI.
“We play well in all the positions but we have to think about the future as well,” he said.
“He’s a player who can play in central midfield as well. We need more options, we also need more competition especially if we’re going to make another step in the future.”
With Korean Inseob Shin and Ghana striker Lloyd Owusu departing in the coming weeks, two foreign spots have become available on United’s roster and Usucar has taken up the first.
“One of them could be a midfielder, a strong one and that’s what he (Usucar) is. And the other one should be an attacker,” Coolen said.
“I’m really looking forward to bringing an extra player in as soon as possible so we can train with him quicker leading up to the first week in January.”
Coolen’s decision to bring in a goal scorer appears to be well planned with the imminent departure of Qantas Young Socceroo Mathew Leckie to German Bundesliga giant Borussia Monchengladbach next season.
Leckie has been sidelined since October, recovering from an arthroscopy after a crude challenge by Surhat Sukha in the 2-1 loss to Melbourne Victory, and United have been fortunate lone striker Sergio van Dijk has remained injury-free to lead the attack and goals have flowed freely from all over the pitch.
The young gun has finally removed the brace supporting his knee and has started his rehab which Coolen said would be monitored closely.
“He’s been back for a couple of days without his brace and he starts his rehab now. We have to see that from day to day, week to week and what I hope is that I can use him at the end of the season and hopefully in the finals,” he said.
