Pars assistant boss Mackay rates Zak Rudden "really highly"

Media reports have credited the Pars, alongside Fife rivals Raith Rovers, with an interest in the 23-year-old as speculation over player movement during the January transfer window continues to gather pace.

Athletic assistant boss Dave Mackay, told the media that they are "looking for a striker and probably another defender as well as soon as possible".

Rudden, who was signed by current Dunfermline manager James McPake for the Dens Park side, scored eight times for the Dark Blues during the first half of their Championship title-winning campaign last term, before heading on loan to St Johnstone.

He's netted three goals in 16 appearances for the Dees this season, but has not featured since Boxing Day, and Mackay said he is a player that he and McPake admire.

"I think Dundee have probably said Zak's available for loan. There's other clubs obviously putting players out for loan," Mackay told Press Sport this week.

"He's a player that we know. We signed him when we were at Dundee and is somebody that we rate really highly.

"He's a goalscorer - he's proven at this level. He scored goals for Partick Thistle the last time he was in the division, and Dundee last year for a spell before he was out on loan at St Johnstone.

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"He knows the division and players like that are always going to attract interest. I'm sure there's loads of clubs that'll be looking at players like Zak.

"Just about every team, every window, is looking for strikers, and obviously there's a limited pool of those players, so they end up getting into a fight with four or five different teams looking for players.

"We'll keep looking. We'll keep having plenty options there; if you miss out on one, hopefully you get your next one. We're actively seeking to get one or two players in as soon as possible."

Although Dunfermline are set to welcome back Lewis McCann and Sam Fisher to the squad for Saturday's trip to face league leaders Dundee United on Saturday, Mackay acknowledged the need for fresh faces to help support a squad hit by injuries.

Malachi Fagan-Walcott, on loan from Cardiff City, is their only signing this month so far, at the time of going to print, but McPake's number two said supporters may need to be patient for news.

"With these sorts of things, they can happen quickly at times but, from our experience in the last couple of years, things tend to drag on and it's difficult to get deals over the line, but we're trying our hardest," he continued.

"We're identifying players and it just comes down to whether clubs allow them to leave, and obviously if financially it's viable for the club.

Mackay said the club are working hard to add new faces to their squad. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"We know we need players in. We're desperate to add to the squad and help the guys that we've got at the minute. While we're waiting on the injured players to get back to full fitness, then I think it's evident from everybody - whether it's supporters, staff, players - that we would love to have a few players in and challenging for first team places.

"Again, it comes down to character - you want the right sort of characters. You don't want to bring somebody in that could disrupt what we've got in the dressing room.

"Also, player-wise, there's no point bringing somebody who's not going to improve our starting eleven. We need players who are going to improve certain areas of the pitch, who are going to add quality, and they're hopefully versatile as well due to the lack of numbers that we've got.

"You don't just want to jump in for the sake of signing someone. I know fans are always desperate for clubs to make signings, no matter what club you're at, but we have to make sure they're the right ones for ourselves, for the group of players that we've got, and ones that can really make an impact on the pitch as well."

Mackay also said that, beyond the January window, the club could still make loan signings from top flight clubs, adding: "Again, it's not ideal - you're still hanging about waiting on clubs doing their business at the last minute, but again, other players then become free agents and things.

"A lot of things get done at the last minute and even beyond, so hopefully things open up soon."