SWINDON Town manager Paolo Di Canio has stressed that the Robins’ flexibility in the January transfer window does not depend on the proposed sale of Paul Caddis to Birmingham.

Caddis is expected to convert his loan stint at St Andrew’s into a permanent stay next month, giving Town the cash injection they need to help bolster their squad as they bid for promotion from League One.

However, Di Canio told the Advertiser that his transfer policy in the new year does not depend on securing a substantial fee, believed to be in the region of £400,000, for the Scottish full-back.

“I can’t tell you because we asked something and they didn’t say ‘no, we can’t’,” he said.

“(Lee) Clark (Birmingham manager) only said ‘let me see’. We asked them if they can let us know when they will know, because if they say to us that they can buy at the end of January.

“That’s good but we want to try to do something now. They know this, they were very good, they were positive and said before the first six days in January they would give us the final answer.

“With any other clubs that we are talking that we don’t want it after the 25th or 27th because it will be tough. We said we would give them the first eight days. The first eight days can be enough and then maybe we can give them another two days of negotiation before we go through.

“At this moment I can’t leave a situation.

“Paul Caddis’ situation will help a lot without connecting too many things too much. Otherwise two situations can go through even if they say they don’t have the money and Caddis can remain there on loan.

“I am not strangled or completely under pressure that I can’t breathe. I can work because I have the two scenarios.

“One can be perfect because we have more fluidity and one we have to work more but in my opinion there will be no problem, even if Caddis remains there, to keep something and bring something.

“The two options are good because at the worst I am going to be in the situation where I can keep some good players that we’ve got and bring not two but one that I have in my mind.

“When there is a positive energy you can turn it completely on your side.”

Di Canio has two specific players in mind as he looks to build his squad in January, but he remained tight-lipped as to their identities.

“The one that I have in my mind is not in our league. But there is also one that has already played against us,” he said. “Not because he played well but because of his characteristics. He is a modern footballer that I would have in my team.”