Thursday, April 25, 2024
SportScottish PremiershipLivingston run the rule over former Rangers and Hearts midfielder

Livingston run the rule over former Rangers and Hearts midfielder

LIVINGSTON are running the rule over former Rangers and Hearts midfielder Jason Holt.

The 27-year-old, who was most recently on loan with St Johnstone, is a free agent after leaving Ibrox earlier this summer and has been training with the Lions for the past week.

Livi have already added Alan Forrest, Robby McCrorie, Salim Kouider-Aissa and Matej Poplatnik to their ranks ahead of the new Premiership campaign but remain in the market for reinforcements.

View onto the pitch of Livingston's Tony Macaroni Arena | Livingston news
Livingston’s Tony Macaroni Arena

And boss Gary Holt insists he is open to discussions with his namesake if he impresses on trial.

He said: “We gave Jason an opportunity to come in and train.

“We have given him the chance to keep himself ticking over and to be part of something instead of training by himself.

“I don’t know if there is a chance for a deal because we haven’t spoken about it – we have just given him the opportunity to be part of the group.

“There is nothing worse than being on your own. You want to be playing with the ball in a group.

“We will see what’s what – but we know where he is and he knows where we are. So we will wait and see.

“If people have some sort of pedigree then we will give them a chance, as long as they add quality to our group.”

The Livingston gaffer reckons Holt’s willingness to train with the club without the guarantee of a contract is indicative of a sea-change in the transfer market following the Covid-19 crisis.

Livi’s policy, wherever possible, is to bring targets into the club on trial before tabling a deal and, given the number of players scrambling for employment, stars are becoming more amenable to that.

Holt said: “Even last year, agents were saying their players wanted this and that before we got a look at them. They didn’t want to come in and train.

“Now players are happy to come on trial.

“In these times there are a lot of players out of work who are willing to show they want a jersey.

“The ball is maybe back in the club’s court that the wages can be structured instead of players demanding X amount.

“We will keep the door open and see what we can get.”

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