Here is every word Philippe Clement said during his press conference ahead of the Premiership fixture with Hibernian.

  • Refusing to be drawn on transfer talk as Diomande deal moves closer
  • 'Long term' Sima blow to be confirmed within 24 hours
  • Updates on McCrorie future and Davies injury

How close are you to adding anyone to your squad?

Oh, that question again! When I said the last times, what is close, what is far? The first second that someone is in this building and signed a contract I will tell all of you. The rest is talk. You never know how close you are or how far you are. Everybody is working really hard on that way and I think there are things that are interesting, that are possible. We will see.

Can you clear up where you are with Diomande?

No I don’t speak about any rumours. There have been how many? 50 names already in the last couple of weeks? I can say we were not interested in all of those players. So if you start to talk about one rumour you need to talk about the other rumour and then I am only busy with that and not making training anymore or looking at players, talking with players or talking with my own players. So I am doing a different job. So I never do that. That is the best way.

How much has your team developed from your first game against Hibernian?

I think it is for everybody clear that the team has made a step forward. It doesn’t mean anything towards the game. I know we had a good win in that game, although the difference between the two teams was not as big as the result was at the end of the game and we need to be honest about that. We know it is a team that plays really good football, a team who makes good combinations with fast wingers who have good individual action. They have players in front and midfield who can score goals so we need to play a good game there. I know the squad is getting better than it was in that moment but that doesn’t mean that it is the same. If Manchester City wins a game 6-0, the next game they play against the same team it doesn’t meant they are going to win 6-0. It was 4-0 that we won and that for me is a long time ago. We were efficient, we were good but we need to repeat that again.

Can you take advantage of the way that Hibernian play?

It is difficult to play against. They do it in a good way, you see a clear structure and an idea. It is one of the teams in Scotland who do that. Not so many are doing that. Against the other teams the last couple of weeks we showed good things against teams who play in a low block and who put a lot of balls forward. This is a totally different game so it will be interesting to see also how we react.

Is there an update on Abdallah Sima’s injury?

No. Not yet. It is not that I want to keep away from you guys. I expect to have more news today, at latest tomorrow, from my medical staff. I always listen to them and not to other people. Ask me this question after the game and then I will give an assessment about that. I will have the information. I am 99 per cent sure. If I have the information clearly I will give it also.

Is there any indication if it is short term or long term?

It will be long term. That is why I want to also have the right information.

It is another difficult one to take for you?

Yes, but like I always said, I want to look at the glass half full. I am not going to go in pity and disappointment. That has been the case, yes, but the team and the squad has proven that they always stand up when something happens and other players do the job. There were really, really, really positive surprises in that way so we are going to go for that and find other solutions and other surprises.

Is there any progress on trying to sign a striker?

It is the same as the first question. I am not speaking about positions or what we want. There are also strikers in the building. Fabio showed already good things, Cyriel if you look at the statistics he has at the moment, he is in a good way also. We will see what targets we will take in the transfer market and what the possibilities are.

Would you be content and confident if you don’t manage to add to your squad?

No. Because that was not the idea of the club. I am confident that we will do the things that we are all aligned on.

Will Sima rehab here or go back to his parent club?

That is things to discuss if we have a good assessment about the injury and what to do. That is why I want to give the information when I have it and not too early. Of course from the first moment when we were contacted we directly contacted Brighton. We are working together in that way.

You have brought Alex Lowry back from Hearts…

No, I didn’t bring him back. Hearts said that they didn’t want to keep him for the next six months. The clear plan with Alex is that we want him to go on loan again to get minutes. That is the plan with him because in the squad that there is now, it is going to be difficult for him to take minutes. It was a clear plan for one year to take minutes and take experience and to become stronger, to come back in a good way and then make an assessment in the summer. That is what we are trying to do now and we will see who are the teams that are interested and what is the best place for him to go in the way we want to play football.

Is likely to not be in Scotland?

I don’t know. It depends on the possibilities. It is a story between Alex, the club and finding another team. I mean with myself also.

How has it been working with Nils Koppen?

It has been really busy. If I get a message or a call, my wife already knows who it is. It is good that it is Nils and not somebody else so that is a positive thing! It has been good. He is super determined, hard working day and night together with all his team. It is the same with me, OK I am always the spokesman about everything but I don’t do everything myself in this building. I have a great staff doing a lot of things for me and it is the same with Nils. He is happy also about the people who were in the building and how they are helping, the scouts, the analysts and everybody. We are discussing all the developments between us but always together with the board, with Creag, with James, with the chairman and the board and the investors. It is with everyone together. There is a lot of contact. That is what I like, I like to be involved and know everything that is going on. Is it going in a positive way or is it difficult and why? I like to have all the information, like I want all the information about the players here. I like to have a lot of information so I can make the right decisions.

If Diomande signs for around £4million, is there only money that might go on one player and then it would have to be loans?

You know already I am never going to respond to that question. It is clear we have these discussions with the board, the investors, what is possible, what is not possible when we come with names and we make decisions around that. Everybody is very ambitious to let the team grow, to make the team better and to make the right transfers. For short term, to help the team in the next six months. For long term to get an investment back, for players to come in and have an impact but grow also and be part of the club that you can sell. That is also things to take into account. There is always a lot of things to take into account and we discuss all those things. That is why there are short nights in January and I am always happy it is February.

Where do you see Robby McCrorie getting his minutes?

It depends on his performances, it depends what he is doing in training and then we will make decisions on what is best for the group, for the club.

You won’t be putting him out on loan?

No. How can you put now, with nine days to go, a player on loan if you don’t have another goalkeeper in? It was never the plan. It was clearly discussed with Robby before the winter break also. He will be here and he did good things. I gave him the chance to play this game. I don’t have to do that. And also the games against Hertha and Copenhagen to get the minutes. He is ready. We will go on like that in the next six months. And then we can make a new evaluation. He is going to be here until the end of the season for sure.

How is the squad fitness wise?

The same as the cup game. Ben is still not available. Kieran Dowell had his operation, everything went well. That is positive also that the operation went well. Kemar and Danilo are also still out.

Any timescales on Ben Davies?

No. For the moment not. It is short term but the other guys are longer term, Abda also. Ben is more shorter term. I cannot put a timescale on that.