Grimsby Town could look to SPFL for shrewd long-term investment in January | OneFootball

Young St Johnstone striker Makenzie Kirk shows a great deal of potential, and could be a wise investment for Grimsby Town in January.

Looking at their current squad, it's unlikely Grimsby Town are going to be hugely busy in the upcoming January transfer window, as players return from injury and come into good form.

Of course, that could all change should any of the club's season-long loanees be recalled by their parent clubs, or if fringe players move elsewhere in search of regular first-team football, and promising Northern Irish striker Makenzie Kirk could be a shrewd long-term investment to plug any gaps, should the funds to make it happen become available.

January is a notoriously difficult time to do business, but Grimsby's solid start has left them in a better position than usual to pick and choose which areas may require strengthening.

There are plenty of variables that could see that change over the coming weeks, however. Midfielders Jordan Davies and Jayden Luker, along with attacker Luca Barrington and striker Justin Obikwu have been borrowed by the Mariners from Wrexham, Luton Town, Brighton & Hove Albion and Coventry City respectfully, and, as is the norm, those clubs have the January recall clause available to them.

Also, contracted frontmen Donovan Wilson and Rekeil Pyke now find themselves out of the first-team picture, and being experienced players, are therefore likely to be high earners.

If Wilson or Pyke (or both) were to move on in the new year, it might free up some funds for Artell to reinvest in a more suitable replacement, which would become a necessity for depth and variety should the aforementioned duo leave.

It's likely Artell will be monitoring the market, and that there will be some activity of sorts, both in and out of Blundell Park, and if the money is there, the former Hearts youngster could be just what they need to support and compete with Danny Rose and Obikwu.

Kirk has great pace and movement, and is ruthless

Edinburgh-born Kirk, who only joined St Johnstone in the summer after coming through the ranks at Hearts, is a former Northern Ireland Under-19 international, and has the potential and attributes to go far in the game.

As the Saints paid an undisclosed fee for the striker themselves just six months ago, any club looking to prise him away will have to get the chequebook out, but it could be a profitable long-term investment, both on and off the pitch.

Kirk has previously scored goals galore for the Hearts B team in the Lowland League, and despite not finding the net during a brief loan spell with Hamilton Academicals last season, he has begun to shine for his new club in Perth.

The youngster is the son of former Northern Irish international Andy Kirk, who had a strong career both north and south of the border for the likes of Hearts, Northampton Town, and Dunfermline Athletic. Kirk senior is now assistant manager of his son's St Johnstone side.

Makenzie Kirk shows all the hallmarks of having a similarly solid, and perhaps even better, career in the game. Energetic, tenacious and pacy, the 20-year-old is a real nuisance for opponents to deal with.

Capable in the air, Kirk is a willing runner that plays on the defensive line and possesses a clinical edge when presented with an opportunity.

St Johnstone aren't the most gung-ho, attacking of sides, but the youngster has started to show what he can do in the Scottish top-flight, scoring three of his side's 18 league goals to date and turning in some eye-catching all-round displays.

Anyone looking to purchase Kirk would be buying potential, rather than the finished article, but that's the market the Mariners are in.

His attributes could compliment those of Grimsby's current strikers perfectly, and should he continue to develop quickly under the guidance of David Artell, he could make them a tidy profit in the longer-term.

Artell will be hoping to keep up good recent track record on signings

One of the things David Artell has largely got right in his first year in the Grimsby dugout is his recruitment, and the success of his signings.

Last January, with his side in a relegation dogfight, the former Crewe Alexandra boss brought in central defender Doug Tharme, full-back Denver Hume, and midfielder Curtis Thompson, all of whom played a key role in the club maintaining their EFL status in May.

Over the summer, while looking to sign players to suit a more technical style, Artell had an equally strong success rate, with the likes of Cameron McJannet and George McEachran, who arrived from Derry City and Swindon Town respectively, excelling over the first half of the campaign.

Fellow signings Jason Dadi Svanthórsson and Jordan Wright have taken a little longer to settle in to their new surroundings, but both appear to be finding their feet and have had a real impact recently.

Loanees Davies, Luker, Barrington, and Obikwu have all added to the level of quality and options in more attacking quaters, while full-backs Tyrell Warren and Lewis Cass have both had steady starts to the Mariners' career.

The Grimsby boss has also had a positive effect on the pre-existing members of his squad, with Harvey Rodgers, Evan Khouri, and Kieran Green all coming on leaps and bounds in recent months.

It's a nice mix for Artell to have, strong recruitment and the ability to improve players, and should Makenzie Kirk arrive at Blundell Park in the near future, there's every chance that Mariners' supporters will see that blend work out once more.