Valakari hopes Alic can add 'balance' to St Johnstone

Enes Alic (left) playing for NK Domzale [Getty Images] St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari hopes prospective new signing Enes Alic can add "balance" to his squad. The Perth side are close to signing the Bosnian left-back, 26, who is a free agent after leaving Zeljeznicar Sarajevo and previous spells in Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia. The completed move is "still a working process", although Valakari is "very, very hopeful that we can land him". The player is still waiting for a work permit and any move will not be finalised in time for Saturday's Scottish Premiership match with St Mirren in Paisley. Although he's added new faces this summer, Valakari has kept the core of the squad that helped the club achieve promotion back to the top flight. "It is important because you cannot buy the culture," Valakari explained. "You cannot buy the togetherness. "You need to live some difficult moments together. You need to experience the moments together. "And if we talk the football-wise, of course, because we have our principles, how we want to do, it's our behaviours, what we want to do on the field. It's somehow easier because the foundation is there." Like St Johnstone, St Mirren also won their Premiership opener and Valakari is "very impressed" by Craig McLeish's side. "They had a very difficult last season," said Valakari. "They survived through the play-offs. "I can see what they try to do it. They have been working their game. They brought in good footballers there. "They still have the old DNA of St Mirren, that they are very, very tough. They really want to bully you. They are coming, these duels and the second balls, they come so, so strong. "They have Premiership experience and the biggest thing, no-one expects anything from them. And that's why they're going like a little bit under the radar."