INVERNESS have taken Stoke striker Adam Rooney on tour to Denmark as a trialist as Marius Niculae's exit looms nearer.
Niculae has been given an extra week off to deal with personal business in Romania following his role with his country at Euro 2008, with Dinamo Bucharest the latest club to be linked with a move for the striker.
Inverness are still hoping to tie
up a loan deal for Calum Elliot, who has been left out of the Hearts squad for their training camp in Germany. Manager Craig Brewster will also look at Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Rooney.
The 21-year-old scored a hat-trick for Stoke on the last day of the 2005/06 season but has since found it difficult to force his way into the first team. He netted nine goals last season in loan spells at Bury and Chesterfield, but did not feature at all as Stoke secured promotion to the English Premier League.
Kaiserslautern registered their interest in Niculae last week and his former club Dinamo have now been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, whose lucrative contract has a year left to run.
After Saturday's 4-2 friendly win over St Johnstone, Brewster said: "Marius is still a Caley Thistle player for another year and he will remain here until the board agrees a fee with another club."
Midfielder Ian Black, who scored Inverness's second on Saturday, does not feel people should read too much into Niculae's extended absence.
"I'm probably Marius' closest friend over here in Scotland and I was at his wedding this summer," said Black.
"He's played in the Euro Championships and then got married just before we came back for pre-season, so it's been hectic for him.
"He's still contracted here and as far as I am aware, he is coming back.
The full article contains 318 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
