JOHN HUGHES has revealed that he is ready to make moves in the January transfer window and that Lewis Martin could have a part to play.

The Pars boss, who organised a bounce match for his squad against a Hibernian team on Tuesday, said that he has been given the green light from sporting director Thomas Meggle to “spin the plates” and deal with what he described this week as “square pegs in round holes”.

He also addressed the situation with Martin, 25, who has not played since Dunfermline’s last match before the COVID-19 shutdown – at Partick Thistle on March 2020 last year – through injury.

The versatile defender, who joined Athletic at under-17 level and made his first-team debut in 2013, is currently without a deal, but Hughes told Press Sport that he would be involved in the midweek bounce game.

“He’s out of contract but we’ve still given him all the training facilities,” he explained.

“He’s probably still a wee bit behind the rest of them but he’s now back in it with us. He’s done all his hard work, he now needs game time to get sharp, so that will be an assessment for him as well to see if he’s one that we might look at and could do us a turn.”

In relation to making potential moves next month to freshen up his squad, Hughes continued: “I got the nod from Thomas to go and do your stuff in terms of spinning the plates.

“It was an easy conversation with Thomas, so helpful; he’s got his finger on the pulse. I’m quite sure one or two that are not getting a game will bang on the door, not happy, everybody wants to play football.

“When you get the opportunity of a window, you grasp it with both hands. You don’t get that much chance but most of your good players are all signed up with clubs, and there’s not too much going about.

“There’s one or two I’ve got my eye on.”

Hughes also spoke about on-loan Rangers winger Kai Kennedy, describing him as a “real talented footballer”, but didn’t rule out him returning to Ibrox next month.

The 19-year-old joined on loan for the season in the summer but wasn’t involved in Friday’s Scottish Cup exit to Partick as his parent club did not want him to be cup-tied.

“The reason he never played on Friday is Rangers didn’t want him cup-tied. I can understand that, no qualms whatsoever, the reason being because he’s not getting enough game time,” Hughes said.

“If he’s not getting enough game time, there’s every chance they’ll take him back at Christmas time, and if he goes back, he’s not cup-tied. I totally understand it.

“I’ve spoken to him; it’s up to Kai to get himself in the team. He’s certainly a talented footballer, a real talented footballer, but he needs to do his work in the top half of the pitch.

“Hopefully, he can start lighting it up and get himself in that first team. He’s an exciting player, that’s for sure, and we never brought him here to be sitting on the bench.

“The challenge is there but he’s got one or two in front of him that he needs to knock off the pedestal.”

Meanwhile, chairman Ross McArthur has confirmed that David Cook will become the club’s new chief executive.

Cook is expected to take up the role in February, and McArthur told Press Sport: “I’ve known David for the last maybe eight years. He’s helped me with a number of things, he’s a Dunfermline supporter, he’s worked at Celtic, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Etihad Airways, and he’s got great knowledge on the commercial side.

“He’s had involvement with setting up academies and working with the foundations at clubs and things like that, so these are key areas where we’re needing help.”