Derry City: Trio of signings on Declan Devine's radar

BRANDYWELL BOSS, Declan Devine flew off to Portugal on Saturday for a well-earned holiday but insists he’ll keep busy in attempts to strengthen his squad from sunny Lagos.
Declan Devine is hoping to add three new signings to his squad when the summer transfer window opens on July 1st.Declan Devine is hoping to add three new signings to his squad when the summer transfer window opens on July 1st.
Declan Devine is hoping to add three new signings to his squad when the summer transfer window opens on July 1st.

Having run his eye over Austrian right-back, Marc Ortner in the 2-1 loss to Cliftonville on Friday night, Devine says he will continue to assess potential new signings ahead of the July 1st transfer window.

Josh Kerr and Gianni Seraf have both left the club while Conor McDermott has joined Cliftonville on loan until January.

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With a deal done to keep Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe at the club until the end of the season, Darren McCauley unveiled and David Parkhouse’s loan extension almost over the line, Devine is happy with how his transfer business is progressing.

However, the City supremo is keen to add at least three new players to his squad as they look to build on what has been a promising start to the 2019 campaign.

“It’s an ongoing process leading up to July 1st,” said Devine. “As a football club we have to continue to strengthen. We’ve got to continue to get better. We have to have the mentality that we’re never happy to be where we are.

“The players are not training for a week but we will be working. Our phones will be on and the laptops will be on and there will be a lot of work getting done behind the scenes.

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“The players deserve a break. Whenever you take a break it’s important you switch back on very quickly.

“It’s important we freshen up but we have to make sure we get back here and are ready to rock again. We’re looking for them to come back refreshed and to be energetic and push on for the rest of the season.”

Dundalk defender, Stephen Folan and Conor Davis have been linked with a move to Foyleside but Devine doesn’t expect anything concrete to happen until he returns.

“We can’t sign anybody until July 1st. We would love the players that are getting mentioned but we’ve also got one or two behind the scenes that people don’t know about who we are trying to bring in.

“We definitely want to try and bring in at least two or three players, there’s no doubt about that.”

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