Derry City boss Ruaidhri Higgins in search for 'X-Factor' talent

​The Brandywell boss has been busy identifying and negotiating potential new signings in recent weeks and is expecting one or 'maximum two' more to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Kelly and bolster his ranks for the 2024 season.

Higgins believes Kelly was lured to Foyleside by the prospect of being part of a 'winning dressing room' and playing in a team which has enjoyed steady progress domestically and in Europe during his two-and-a-half year tenure - success which has made it an 'easier sell' for prospective targets.

"It's relentless," responded Higgins when asked about his close season schedule. "Especially when you manage this club.

"I'll switch off probably the week before Christmas and enjoy Christmas week but there's been a lot going on over the last few weeks, behind the scenes stuff and planning, preparing and organising, obviously talking to people.

"I've gone on record saying there won't be wholesale changes, far from it. We've built a squad over the last two years that we're extremely happy with. We feel one, or maximum two will take us to the next level.

"We were fortunate enough over the last year or two in the off season that players we were interested in were out of contract and we were able to attract them here."The big thing for us is keeping people fit and adding one or two that will give us the X-factor.

"But players want to be part of winning dressing rooms and clubs that are competing at the top end of the table. We've worked unbelievably hard and with the full support of the chairman and the board who have been absolutely brilliant. We've got to this point and it's an attractive club.

"If a one-club city is doing well then people get attracted to it. Daniel Kelly for example loved that idea. He tasted it at Dundalk obviously. There's only one club there. He enjoyed that environment and he sees what we've built here and the fanbase.

"To be honest with you I think it became an easier sell after the cup final last year because of the numbers we took down there. People were flabbergasted at the numbers that travelled to Dublin from Derry because it's not just around the corner and we took over 20,000 down there."

It's understood Dundalk striker Pat Hoban ranks high on Higgins' list of targets but any move for the Galwegian hitman, who was told he was free to leave the club at the end of the season, will have been delayed due to American-based Dubliner, Brian Ainscough, taking full control of the Co. Louth club last week.

Ainscough insists there's no financial reason why the club's all-time leading scorer won't remain at Oriel Park next year given he has a year remaining on his current deal, insisting it's a matter for manager Stephen O'Donnell and Hoban to address.

“Right now, he's a Dundalk player,” said Ainscough. “For me, I don't know anything else of a sense that he's not going to be a Dundalk player.

"I'm hoping that he's here in February but again that's between him and the coaches. I expect the next conversation is probably going to be between him and the coach, and seeing where he's going."

Understandably Higgins refuses to comment on the ongoing speculation about an opposition player under contract but he's certain to be keeping close tabs on developments at his former club.