Elgin City sign Ryan MacLeman on permanent deal following midfielder's release from Ross County
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Ryan MacLeman has made the permanent switch from Ross County to Elgin City on a one-and-a-half year deal.
The 19-year-old has been released by County and City moved quickly to snap up the player who spend the first half of the season on loan at Borough Briggs.
City manager Allan Hale was delighted to complete the deal for a player who has caught his eye since taking on the Black and Whites' job.
"I’ve been really impressed by Ryan," he said. "He has a great attitude and he’s someone who was getting better and better.
"From when we came in to when he left, I thought he was starting to display the things we were asking of him."
MacLeman's loan deal at City expired at the start of January, at a time when a knee injury had ruled him out of action.
He started 22 matches and made two sub appearances, scoring three goals and showing an ability to play in different positions.
"He ended his loan spell with a really strong performance against Peterhead, he scored and showed his versatility where he can play centrally or out wide," Hale added.
"He strengthens our options both in the middle of the pitch and the forward areas. I wanted more options in the forward areas and it allows us that flexibility to make adjustments during games which I didn't feel we could do prior to the window opening.
"He’s young, he’s got a lot of potential and hopefully we can help him establish himself in our team first and foremost but if he does well we will obviously give him exposure to generate opportunities further up the ladder for him."
MacLeman also had a spell on loan in the Highland League at Forres Mechanics prior to joining Elgin.
It has been a busy January window for Hale and his assistant Stefan Laird.
They have signed Lyall Booth and Michael Dangana on permanent deals from former club Huntly and captured Dajon Golding on loan from Cove Rangers and Keith Bray, who has been farmed out by Inverness Caley Thistle.
It is understood that his transfer business does not end there, with one loan position still to fill and a possible permanent deal in the pipeline.
