Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is chasing Norwich City’s former Scotland midfielder Stephen Hughes.
The 28-year-old, who began his career with Rangers, is recovering from an ankle injury and has been restricted to two substitute appearances for the Championship club this season.
He played for the Canaries last night in a Norfolk Senior Cup quarter-final against non-League side Norwich United and Brown is ready to make an approach to City manager Paul Lambert to sign the player on loan for the rest of the season.
Lambert knows the midfielder needs games and said: “He played in a practice game the other day and came through it all right, but he’s still a wee bit away from getting back into the first team.”
City are trying to sign Brighton winger Elliott Bennett and Lambert may be willing to allow Hughes, who made his only international appearance against Japan in 2009, out on loan.
After making his debut as a 16-year-old for Rangers in 1999, Hughes joined Leicester City in January 2005 for £100,000 before moving to Motherwell in 2007.
He moved back to England in July 2009, signing a three-year contract with the Canaries after rejecting an approach from Aberdeen and played a significant role in their promotion from League 1 last season.
An ankle injury which needed an operation on October 21 has curtailed his progress.
Brown has identified midfield as his key priority, despite an impressive debut from former Fulham player Rob Milsom in the 2-0 win against St Mirren last Saturday.
Captain Paul Hartley will return from suspension for this Saturday’s trip to SPL leaders Celtic and Brown said: “We are on the case because we need another midfielder.
“Rob did well on his debut. It was always going to be difficult for him to come into such a tight game just a couple of days after joining us. But he coped with it and did some very good things.
“I would be happier if we had at least one more midfielder because we have a busy programme.”
Brown’s options have been limited by an injury to Sone Aluko, who will miss Saturday’s Parkhead match because of an Achilles injury.
Defender David McNamee suffered a groin injury and did not train yesterday while centre forward Scott Vernon, who scored twice against the Buddies to take his season’s tally to 13 despite suffering from a virus, also sat out training.
Loan signing Nick Blackman arrived in Aberdeen last night after completing his temporary transfer from Blackburn Rovers until the end of the season and will be paraded today.
Hun bastard.
Would be a good signing.