Adelaide United recruits on hold until coach Gertjan Verbeek arrives in SA for pre-season training

New arrivals appear unlikely at Adelaide United until coach Gertjan Verbeek arrives in SA. But the Reds might be moving closer to locking in one of their assistant coaches for next season.

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Adelaide United is unlikely to bolster its squad with recruits until after new coach Gertjan Verbeek has touched down in SA.

But the Reds might be edging closer to locking in one of their assistant managers as they prepare to launch a new era under the Dutchman.

Verbeek is due to arrive in Adelaide on Monday night, a week before taking charge of his first pre-season training session with the FFA Cup winner. A club spokesman confirmed transfer activity was on hold, as the incoming mentor hoped to first assess the talent at his disposal among Adelaide’s 19 contracted personnel.

It means United still has three-and-a-half months until the A-League kick off on October 11 to replace the six players that had departed since its semi-final loss to Perth Glory.

Incoming Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek was due to arrive in SA next week. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images

Newly-installed director of football Bruce Djite had also indicated the Reds would look to find a successor to centre back Taylor Regan, who left the club mid-season.

Adelaide-born defender Ryan McGowan appeared a tailor-made solution for United, given he had been released by English League One outfit Bradford City.

But reigning champion Sydney FC was believed to be leading the race to lure the 29-year-old Socceroo back to his homeland following a 13-year overseas career.

Fellow SA product and free agent Bradden Inman would also be a valuable pick-up to fill the playmaker and striker voids identified by Djite as requiring more depth.

As reported by The Advertiser earlier this month, Brisbane Roar remained the frontrunner to land the former Rochdale, Crewe Alexandra and Newcastle United attacker.

SA-born Socceroo Ryan McGowan was one of several homegrown talents available as free agents this transfer window. Picture: Mark Brake

The Reds were also hunting a left back, to cover the loss of Scott Galloway, and a holding midfielder, to fill the shoes of inspirational captain Isaias.

Meanwhile, Verbeek’s countryman Gerald Sibon was firming as a potential member of Adelaide’s new-look backroom team. Several media outlets in the Netherlands had linked the former Melbourne Heart, now City, striker with a return to the A-League, where scored seven goals in 27 games in 2010/11.

Ex-Ajax, PSV and Sheffield Wednesday hitman Sibon, who played under Verbeek at SC Heerenveen for two years, had most recently coached fifth-tier Dutch side VV Heerenveen.

Verbeek had expressed his desire for both a European and an Australian-based assistant.