Exeter City must be part of League One queue after Brentford, Millwall blow | OneFootball

Ayr United's George Stanger has been linked with a move to League One this month and Exeter City might be his destination after Tristan Crama exit.

It's not going to be an easy task replacing Tristan Crama.

The towering Frenchman was excellent for Exeter City during his six-month stint at St James Park on loan from Brentford.

However, he was probably a bit too good and last week the Bees recalled him and he moved to Millwall of the Championship in a permanent deal.

Make no bones about it, it's a big blow for the Grecians' prospects this season with supporters debating whether he's the best-ever centre-back they've seen in Devon's capital.

He has the perfect blend of physicality, enough pace and good height, combined with quality on the ball, a calming presence and a knack for a goal as well.

It was looking like a quiet month for Gary Caldwell and his backroom staff in the transfer market but, with Crama's sudden exit and the recently-returned Johnly Yfeko immediately back out injured again, City now have two huge holes in their defence.

Exeter looking for Crama replacement

At the start of the month City were looking for potentially two additions, the Scottish boss now says that has doubled.

“We are working really hard, everyone behind the scenes to do that and I know that, by the end of the window, we will get what we need to be as strong as we can be until the end of the season," Caldwell told DevonLive.

“I think we need four now… that might scare the club a little bit, because it was only two and we have one already! But with Tristan leaving and obviously Johnly’s injury, it does affect us a little bit.

“With Tristan leaving, it does free up some money, so we have to be really prudent, we are the only supporter-owned club in the country, we are a sustainable League One club, so we have to work within those means which we will, but we will try our very, very best to get four in.”

Live incoming rumours are a little thin on the ground but one man who could be of interest to City's chief is Ayr United's Kiwi centre-back George Stanger.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke revealed interest in the defender from a number of League One clubs this month as his contract enters its final six months.

George Stanger could be perfect Exeter City signing

Stanger would, therefore, be pretty cheap, and he might even be one to sign over the summer if a deal can't be done now, but there is an urgent need for a quality defensive addition, especially with captain Pierce Sweeney still out injured as well.

He's got a similar profile to Crama but is a year younger and a shade shorter.

He's been a key player for the Honest Men as they mount a promotion charge from the Scottish Championship off the back of conceding just 17 goals in 21 games.

Caldwell is no stranger to shopping in the Scottish lower leagues, with the likes of Jack McMillan coming in from Partick Thistle over the summer and Jay Bird joining from Arbroath.

Yfeko is on a season-long loan from Rangers in the Premiership and Demetri Mitchell was signed from Hibs to name just a few of the Grecians who have arrived in the South West of England from north of the border on the back of promises of a tropical climate from Caldwell in the last few years!

Will Stanger be the next? The profile certainly fits and City do have a bit of budget to spend now with Crama being recalled.

Whether it will be enough, especially with interest from multiple clubs, remains to be seen.

City will certainly be signing a central defender over the next week or so and it wouldn't be a surprise if it was Ayr's Scottish-born New Zealand youth international who made the switch.