David Goodwillie has started training with St Johnstone.
But Perth boss Tommy Wright admitted that he hasn’t yet been given the green light to make the Scotland international an offer.
“David has joined us for training,” Wright reported from Saints’ Stirling University base. The club are not in a position to make him an offer at the minute, but it will help him out.
“And it will also give us an opportunity to get into a position to make him an offer. It’s a chance for David to do a pre-season with us and also get a feel for the place.
“We can use the time he’s here to sell the club to him.”
Wright added: “At the minute I can’t make any offers to players. The bottom line is we have 20 players and until I get funds we can’t do anything.
“We have been speaking to agents and players all summer but we’ve not been able to finalise anything. We made an offer for James Dunne but that has been it.
“We’re not in a panic about it because we have a decent squad already but I still want three players in.
“David could get a phone call and be away but hopefully he’ll be here long enough for us to get something together.
“The situation with the budget could change at the next meeting I have with the chairman.”
Goodwillie wasn’t the only new striker training with Saints. Ex-Falkirk youth Ally Graham (20), who has been playing recently in Australia with Peninsula Power, has arrived for a trial spell.
Wright said: “Ally Graham has joined us as well, he’s a young lad who has been playing in Australia and has scored a lot of goals. He’s been recommended to us so we’ll have a look at him as well.”
As Wright had suggested at the end of last season, goalkeeper Zander Clark is set to rejoin Queen of the South on loan for a second spell.
He said: “There is a deal agreed with Queen of the South for Zander to go back there. But he’ll stay with us for the next month before going to them.”
Meanwhile, Wright will fly out to Switzerland at the weekend to watch Europa League opponents FC Luzern in action.
He said: “I’m going across this weekend and then we’ll watch them the following weekend as well. It will be fiendlies, so we’re both in the same boat.
“We’ll be getting tapes on them but they’ve lost a few players since last season.”