HIBERNIAN manager Mixu Paatelainen has revealed he could sign goalkeeper Khalid Sinouh before January's transfer window after taking the Moroccan international on a week-long trial.
The 33-year-old is available now because his last club, Turkish outfit Kasimpasa, failed to pay his wages and were forced to free him because of a breach of contract.
The Amsterdam-born player – who trained with Falkirk during their pre-season tou
r of Holland but could not agree on a move – arrived at Hibs' East Mains training ground on Monday and will be assessed by Paatelainen this week before finding out if he is to be offered a contract.
The Easter Road manager has been seeking a new keeper since arriving at the club in January and ran the rule over a host of trialists with no success before the transfer deadline on 1 September. However, he still has money available to bring a new, experienced keeper to a club that has been plagued by goalkeeping errors in recent seasons.
Belgian under-21 international Yves Ma-Kalambay has claimed the No 1 spot from Andrew McNeil since returning from action with his country in the Olympics in August but has failed to convince observers he is the answer with some erratic displays.
Paatelainen said: "Khalid will be with us for one week. He is available to be signed now but we will have a look at him first.
"There are funds available but I want to make sure we bring in the right players with the right qualities when we spend that money. This is the time to have a look and make sure we know what possibilities are out there. We are working hard on adding options in the goalkeeper position.
"Hopefully we are successful in January or before then because we wanted to bring someone in before the transfer deadline but were unsuccessful."
Amsterdam-born Sinouh started his career with Dutch side Haarlem and went on to play for Heerenveen and RKC Waalwijk before heading for Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia.
He returned to Holland to play for AZ Alkmaar, turning out in the Uefa Cup Group C matches against Grasshoppers and Slovan Liberec two seasons ago.
However, in April last year, he was involved in an altercation with a journalist who had criticised his performance for the reserves and he left only weeks later after a public apology from the club. Sinouh made 24 appearances for Turkish top-flight team Kasimpasa last term but is now looking to kick-start his career in the SPL.
Meanwhile, Paatelainen insists he will not be panicked into making wholesale changes to his side for Saturday's vital encounter with under-pressure Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
The Easter Road manager was deeply disappointed by his players' display in Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to Rangers and was particularly critical of their defending. However, the Finn has yet to decide whether he will turn to alternative options in a squad he has worked hard to strengthen since arriving.
He said: "I always consider changes, no matter who we are playing and what the previous result has been. But whether I will make any is a different matter altogether.
"The most important thing for me now is that I have options if I do need to change things around. That is why I brought players in during the transfer window, because I now have cover in so many positions on the park."
The full article contains 580 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
