ST MIRREN manager Jack Ross says plans are in place for new signings next month – but he doesn’t yet know how many he can make.

Ross will freshen up his Saints squad when the January transfer window opens.

But with a strict budget in place at the Paisley 2021 Stadium, he will have to wait to see if some of Saints’ fringe players become frustrated with a lack of first-team football and ask for a move.

Speaking before Saints' first win of the season, a 3-2 victory at Queen of the South on Tuesday, he said: “I don’t think we can put a number on it. Our budget has to be worked within, so it depends on what becomes available within that.

“There are areas of the squad we would like greater balance in. The planning in terms of potential players for us is there, it depends on how creative we can be as well.

“There’s also people just now who aren’t playing as much as they would like, so it may be that those players will look to seek a new challenge and, if that happens, it frees up more money for us.”

Midfielder Kyle Hutton moved on an emergency loan to Airdrie last week and his future at the Buddies will be evaluated when he returns to the club in January.

Ross said: “It gives him (Hutton) the chance to get games. With Kyle Magennis doing well and Rocco (Quinn) returning to fitness, his game time would probably have been limited.”