McCoist eager to extend Aluko trial spell after winger impresses in training

Ally McCoist plans to extend Sone Aluko’s trial period with Rangers, having been impressed by the former Aberdeen winger so far.

Aluko spent this week training with the rest of the first-team squad at Murray Park and the Ibrox manager wants more time to assess the player before deciding whether to offer him a contract.

McCoist said of a player who has been without a club since his Aberdeen contract expired at the end of last season: “Sone Aluko has trained with us this week and he showed up very well, as we expected him to. We are going to have a chat with Sone and his agents and possibly keep him here for another four or five days training.

“He seems to be enjoying it and we are certainly enjoying having him. Sone is one of those players who has pace to take on a man and beat him.

“He can play on either side and can probably play in the hole as well. He gives us that kind of option.

“He definitely has talent, there is no doubt about that, particularly in the games that he played for Aberdeen against ourselves. We always felt he did very well and that’s exactly what he has shown us in training. He has shown us what a good player he can be.”

McCoist admits he is unsure as to whether Aberdeen would be entitled to compensation for the 22-year-old.

He added: “I’d have to plead ignorance on that but I would imagine there might be an issue with compensation. But that’s somebody else’s department and we will look into that.” Rangers are also set to take Indian strikers Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua on trial, with both players on the scoresheet for their country in a friendly win over Malaysia in midweek.

McCoist said: “I’ve not got a date but I think we are trying to organise for them to come in a week on Monday. We didn’t have anybody at the game but we saw the game. The world is a small place now with coverage and DVDs and action at the flick of a switch. We have watched them in one or two other games as well, international and club matches, so we are pretty well covered and we are really looking forward to seeing the boys.”

On reported interest in South Korea midfielder Yoon Bit-garam, McCoist said: “He is a player we have seen and watched in a few games and he has impressed. But there has been no contact to the best of my knowledge between the player and the agents and the club. We are not any further forward in terms of that player.”

Despite Rangers casting their net wide in search of fresh talent, McCoist insists there is no chance of the club recruiting players simply for the purpose of exploiting commercial opportunities.

He said: “I can reassure everybody 100 per cent that individual players will only be signed if we feel they can play in the first team and enhance the ability of our squad. That’s the only way we will sign any player, no matter what part of the world they are from.

“It would be pointless of us to sign a player just for the sake of signing him and not play him. His commercial value would be zero. There will be no players signed unless we believe that they will better the team and the squad.”

Meanwhile, McCoist is hoping to avoid a post-international break slump when St Johnstone come calling today, having seen his side held to a draw by St Mirren after the last break.

He said: “Time will tell on that one. We didn’t have as many away as we normally have, but we have not been ourselves after one or two of the international breaks.

“I’m loathe to take any praise away from St Mirren, because they played very well against us, but we weren’t ourselves in that game.”